High School DxD: Tales Of The Dragon Slayer
by HolyMoses
Summary: Sona Sitri's life has been turned upside down when a sorcerer and alchemist, who appears to be the missing Millicas Gremory, arrives one day and defeats her in chess. She now finds herself engaged to the possible missing son of Maō Lucifer, who proceeds to take her on the journey of a lifetime in his quest to save the future.
1. Disclaimer

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

Summary.

Skip this page if you want to get to the actual story.

This is my first fan-fiction, and after years of reading them I finally decided to sit down and write one.

Couldn't help myself. I've got a need for high quality fan-fiction, so after reading quite a number of stories which left me feeling unsatisfied I decided to give it a go. This story just wouldn't leave my imagination and I've finished my own "season 4" in my head and have a rough idea for "Season 5" as well. It's going to be a long one folks. I'm also proof reading this on my own, so it's going to take awhile for updates. I plan on uploading them in large chunks, most likely entire seasons at a time, so you have that to look forward to. Don't ask for updates and don't email me. The more time I have to sort through my inbox, the less time I have to write. You can comment on the review section, I might even read them but don't expect a reply or shout out.

With that being said, allow me to give you a brief glimpse of what to expect and not to expect in this story.

This story will be written in third person.

I can't stand stories written in first person. I think it's author fantasy fulfillment and you might as well do a self insert if you're going to write a story in first person.

Character Descriptions...

I began this story before season 4 came out, so expect character descriptions and appearance to match that of the characters from seasons 1-3. Seriously, they totally changed the look of a lot of them. Millicas and Serafall both look completely different. As as to the rest of them? I honestly think the original artists of season 1-3 did a much better job, as the new animation looks (dare I say it?) sloppy. Akeno looks drunk all the time, and Xenovia looks a bit 'dumpy' until she takes her clothes off. It's weird.

Moving on...

This story will be written _mostly_ from the perspective of Sona Sitri.

 **Audience: "WTF?"**

Yeah, despite the fact that the main focus of the story is an Out of Context Character (OCC) Millicas Gremory, it will mainly be told from Sona Sitri's point of view and the focus will be on her and her relationship with (an age appropriate) Millicas Gremory, or as he's known in this story Ambrose the Dragon Slayer, who was kidnapped at a young age and has no idea of his own past. It'll work out, trust me. I'm mainly choosing this route simply because Ambrose (Millicas) will be the main driving force behind the plot and I want you, the reader, to be in on the secrets as they unfold as Sona finds out about them.

I'm also doing this because it seems a lot of OCC and Original Characters (OC) stories follow the same DxD pattern, and I'm quite frankly sick of it. A lot of OC's fill the role of Issei Hyoudou; understandable since he is the main character. But often times they wind up doing things exactly the same, making the same choices, just changing up the dialog. It's mostly 'OC is inserted into team Gremory'. There are some where the OC goes into team Sitri, but those don't tend to get finished or focus too much on team Gremory. Instead, I'm going to give more focus on the less known characters of the story. I believe it'll allow more freedom to make an interesting story since these character's personalities and backgrounds aren't clearly as defined as the Gremory Peerage. Consider it a DxD Rouge's Gallery.

Another thing that grinds my gears is when people make an OC or OCC and the character knows everyone and is liked by everyone.

Stuff like...

"Fallen Angels are attacking the Devils in Kuoh? They must have gone rouge because Azazel is my BFF and I know him too well."

Or how about...

"Look, I don't know or like you Rias Gremory, but your brother Sirzechs is my best buddy. Sorry I never mentioned it before. Why didn't he or I tell you earlier? Well… reasons."

That's not going to happen here. People don't automatically get along, and understanding is often reached through confrontation. Some people will fail to make a good impression, others will screw up and friendships will be tested and maybe even damaged beyond repair. It's all part of the plot and creates an interesting drama.

That being said, this will be mostly a drama/romance with a bit of lightheartedness and comedy sprinkled in. Now, I'm not going to cause Drama for the sake of Drama. This isn't an antsy teenage "The world is against me" story, nor is it a predictable "Downton Abbey" drama where you know something bad is going to happen when the characters have something good going on. It's more about how people grow apart, or have conflicting personalities and goals: the good guys struggle to get along and are forced to temporarily put their differences aside when the bad guys show up. Just because they managed to join forces for a moment to defeat Mr. Bad Guy, doesn't mean they become BFF's.

 **Audience: "It can't be a drama. What about the action? This is DxD and there's fighting in it."**

Yes, fighting will be unavoidable and there will be action scenes. That being said, one common writing theme I've begun to hate is the predictable "I'm losing so badly. Let me reach deep within myself and pull out a special power I didn't know I had in order to save the day."

Yeah, that won't be happening either. It's cliche, over used, and quite frankly I'm sick of it.

 **Audience: "Doesn't that mean your character be over powering (OP)?"**

Technically yes, but it's a boring story with out the characters struggling, so instead of struggling with fighting they're going to struggle with strategy. Figuring out what works in order to create a better future.

Both Sona and Ambrose (Millicas) will focus on preparing for future battles and training. Sona and Ambrose (Millicas) are both very strategic thinkers and like to be prepared for whatever may come their way. The struggle that they must face together is deciding how best to prepare for what's to come.

 **Audience: "Is it just going to be Sona and Millicas or whatever his name is? What about a harem?"**

As some fan-fiction writer once stated in their description, "It wouldn't be High School DxD with out a harem."

 **Audience: "Yes! Tell me who's going to be in it?"**

Not telling.

I will tell you who's not going to be in it. No one from Rias's peerage. It's not that I dislike the Gremory peerage it's just… well.. it's a point of both amusement and frustration when people put in an OC in DxD and then go for "the ultimate harem". At the bottom of each chapter they'll clearly state which girls are in the OC's harem. As the story goes on, chapter after chapter, more girls are "poached" from Issei and given to their own main character. Not everyone gets the object of their affections. I also believe that harems can get too big. Each new girl brings a new story and the old girls get shuffled to the background.

Don't believe me? It happens in cannon.

Asia Argento's origin story in the first season was very moving. I'll be honest, I shed a tear or two when she died in that church. But she later got shuffled to the rear of the harem queue, she became the little sister desperate to be noticed. I think the creator of the story realized this and created the whole Diodora Astaroth arc to bring her back to the front. The more girls that join the harem, the less time I have, as a writer, to bring all the girls out and hash out their characters. Because of that I'm limiting the number to between four and six. I have five in my head but one of them I'm not sure of. I would like to have six total, but at this time I'm not exactly sure who I want to bring in. Despite this uncertainty I have a very specific idea of where I want this story to go, but I'm not sure who to use to fill out two of the six roles I have in mind for this harem. So basically I have "character roles" I need fulfilled but haven't find the right DxD character to fill those roles. I'm creating this harem for more of a "role fulfillment" than "personal wish fulfillment".

 **Audience: "How about limes and lemons?"**

Limes, yes. Lemons no. There will be sex, but no sex scenes. Kinda like when you're watching an R rated movie and camera pans to the window as they're about to get busy. You'll know when they're planning on having sex, and they'll flirt and/or comment about "previous nightly activities", but no word porn. It's not that I can't write it, it's just that I don't want to. Once you start down that path, forever will it dominate your fan-fiction.

Next point…. Crossovers.

 _shudders_

Crossovers can get very messy and can often get away from a writer. More often than not, crossovers have a tendency to turn off readers if they're unfamiliar with one of the story arcs. What's really annoying is when the crossovers don't mesh, I think I once saw a Harry Potter/Stargate SG1 cross over. (Seriously, WTF) If you're going to do a crossover please try to keep the genres similar. Bringing a vampire into another supernatural fic is fine, but let's not explore the depths of space with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, along with Vampire Hunter D.

Also, I really hate it when someone's main character looks, dresses, fights, and acts just like that other character in that anime you love or hate. Seriously, how many times have you read where _"Not Naruto, but totally Naruto"_ is inserted into the world of any given fan-fiction arc? "Yeah, he wears orange, and has all the powers of Naruto, but trust me guys, he's my OC. Not at all like Naruto. His name is different and his hair is blue. See? Totally different."

So why am I bringing up crossovers if it's not a crossover.

 _hangs head down in shame_

Cause it's not a crossover….?

Alright, there will be references to one maybe two anime's. Think of it as a homage to other works, but in realty, knowledge of these anime shows shouldn't impact your comprehension or enjoyment of the story. If you're familiar with the anime you'll have a small "I see what you did there" moment and move on. If not, you won't even notice it since I won't make stupid references like "Then he does a kamehameha wave!".

I might even go as far as to say there won't be any crossover characters but…

Okay, I'll level with you all. There is one character from another anime that I do want to bring in, she fits the role I have in mind perfectly and would be an excellent addition to the Harem. Urd, from Ah My Goddess. I need a Norn for my story, and Ambrose (Millicas) is an alchemist just like Urd (Alchemy being the study of magic and science, not Full Metal Alchemy). She also works as a great double act, playing against Sona Sitri's "Straight Man". It would definitely bring a bit of comedy to the story. Technically I could use Rossweisse, she's a Norn and if I make her an OCC she could fit the bill; however, that goes against my whole "Not poaching from team Gremory" goal. I mean, come on we've already got Odin, and Thor is mentioned in DxD. It isn't that big of a stretch to bring in the daughter of Odin, right? Right? (please agree with me, cause I really want to insert Urd. Author's note: Nope, not adding her.)

Lastly I'd like to make a few observations on the one of the more newer types of fan-fiction, "The Gamer."

It's actually an interesting idea, and I did enjoy the manga quite a bit. It could even make an interesting anime, and an even better video game if someone did it right. That being said, it doesn't always translate well into fan-fiction. I've notice that most authors who do "The Gamer" get stuck on the grinding part. They create these dungeons, describe mob battle after mob battle, they list and keep track of all sorts of stats and skills; it gets to the point where even reading it becomes a grind. I imagine that's the reason most "Gamer" story arcs die because it turns into a grind to write.

With that in mind, I've decided to take a different approach on "The Gamer" idea and decided to incorporate elements from my all time favorite game, "The Sims 3".

 **Audience: "Wait, really?"**

Yes really. There will be loads of Sims 3 references, it will actually add some interesting perspective to the story with out the whole "Level up" thing that happens in games. Ambrose (Millicas) even went to a school who's acronym is S.I.M.S.

Prequels:

These are interesting, but often writers create way too many OC secondary characters, or even worse OC secondary characters who then become main supportive characters. Stay on target people.

So while this story will begin with seven prequel chapters (yeah, that's right, seven and I just finished writing them all at this point), it's not really a 'prequel' as the characters aren't younger. It's just 'set up', for the main parts of DxD that you all know and love.

There will also be time travel.

 **:: audience face palms ::**

But not time travel as you know it. There will be no Sailor Moon "Meet your future Children" bullshit. The last expansion of "The Sims 3" is "Into The Future"; a game where your Sim can actually change and influence the future through actions in the present.

I took this idea and applied it.

If you've read this far, then I'm going to assume you won't mind a spoiler (that gets explained in chapter 3, so not a complete spoiler) where Ambrose (Millicas) explains his entire goal.

Ambrose (Millicas), who is unaware of his devil family ties, creates a device that travels into the future. However, when he arrives in the future he discovers that the both worlds (Earth and Underworld) have been destroyed, turned into a wasteland, and is ruled by carnivorous, mindless evil-dragons and monsters. All humans, devils, angels, fallen angels, and yōkai have been killed, so Ambrose takes it upon himself to change the future.

That's what this story is about, changing the future.

This time machine also gives him the benefit of having extra time since the seconds between when he goes to "The Future" and returns to "The Present" an infinite amount of time can happen. A lot of writers like to create a Dragonball "Hyperbolic Time Chamber" for their characters. Ambrose's time machine can not only fulfill that role, but also the "Dungeon" role of Gamer fics simply because there's a shit load of monsters and evil-dragons in the wasteland to fight and kill in the future.

However, there are rules. He can influence "the present" to change "the future", but traveling to "the past" is prohibited. The time machine jumps 500 years into the future, but always returns the traveler to the exact point and time which they left. The initial jump into "the future" will always bring him to the Summer Solstice, +500 years of insert current year here. (not doing "identify current year" bullshit). As stated, he returns to the exact point in "the present" when he left, however, when he returns to "the future" it's once again Summer Solstice +500 years of insert current year here in the future with all changes he made in "the present" applied to the timeline. So in essence, the day he arrives in the future is always the same day he arrives in the future.

Sound complicated? Let me break it down.

Say he travels to "the future", arrives on June 21st, 2518 and then goes off to kill "Super Dragon Boss X". He then hangs around till December 21st of 2520, and then returns to "the present" at the exact moment he left. Then, while in "the present", he carves a mustache on the faces of Mount Rushmore.

When he goes back to "the future" he arrives on June 21st, 2518 when "Super Dragon Boss X" is still alive and but Mount Rushmore will have mustaches on it.

Any changes he makes in "the present" applies to "the future", but changes to "the future" while in "the future" are meaningless. That is, carving faces on Mount Rushmore in the year 2518 is pointless because when he leaves and then comes back to the future all the changes he made in 2518 have been reset.

(Temporal Mechanics is a bitch)

Characters can never meet their past, present, or future selves, as you can't be in two places at the same time. When Sona goes into "The Future" then the timeline will reflect it as if she were missing during the 500 years between "Present" and "Future". However, if Ambrose (Millicas) goes to the future with out Sona then she lived that entire 500 years with out him. The two futures (one where Sona goes with him and one where Sona doesn't) are completely different futures.

"The past" is set, and changing it would create a paradox in "the present". "The future" is always in motion so every time they make changes to "the present", then "the future" will be slightly changed. The entire point is that Ambrose (Millicas) and Sona have to figure out not only what happens in the future but how it happens so that they might save both worlds from destruction. They're trying to create the best possible future.

It's quite a lot, I know. So I've waited till I finished a few chapters before I actually published it. By this point I've already finished the prequel and hope to start part of the first season till I publish it. This will give you enough information so that you, the reader, can get a better sense of what the story is about and where it's going.

And with that, I hope you enjoy it.


	2. Prequel Chapter 1

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

April is the month of spring which brings new life, new flowers, and new students into Japan's schools; students who are ready to fill their minds with knowledge. So it was for the student council president of Kuoh Academy, Sona Sitri: high class devil and heiress to the Sitri clan, one of the remaining 33 devil families of the original 72 pillars of devil society.

Her fellow student council members, and devil peerage, hustled with today's assigned activities while she busied herself with more administrative work. It wasn't as if she publicly ran the school, but but she did closely observe how it was ran. Most students would go to school because it was required. They wasted and squandered their time, coasting through their classes as if they were moved by "educational inertia".

Sona had a purpose, and learning the administrative tasks of this school was one step to fulfill her ultimate goal; to create a school in the Underworld so that all devils, no matter their standing, could receive and benefit from an education and compete in Rating Games to increase their social standing. She believed that with hard work and determination an individual could find a hidden potential within themselves. After all, she had seen the opposite to be true. Growing up as a high class devil, she saw how lazy many devils had become. They relied too much on their natural given powers and couldn't motivate themselves to grow stronger, to become more, to actually work to achieve something greater than themselves. So when her childhood friend, Rias Gremory, suggested they study abroad in the human world Sona readily agreed, if only to study and learn how the human education system worked.

Sona didn't share Rias's love of 'All things Japanese', Sona agreed to come to Japan mainly due to the fact that Japanese education system was the highest rated in the human world. Sona Sitri valued knowledge, above all else, and always sought new knowledge and ways to apply it. She worked hard, and she worked her peerage hard so that they could stand above other high class devils. She believed that with hard work and dedication she and her carefully selected peerage could unite to fulfill their shared dream of a new education system in the Underworld.

Privately Sona felt that her childhood friend, Rias, relied too much on her own natural talents and the benefits that came with being a younger sibling to a Maō. Sure, Rias could be embarrassed by her brother's overly affectionate nature; hell, they both were extremely embarrassed by their older siblings' private behavior. But Rias was content to stay in her brother's shadow, and her goal was a short term one; to somehow escape her engagement to Riser Phenex. While Sona did, in fact, support Rias's goal; she felt that Rias didn't train herself or her peerage enough. In Sona's view, Rias seemed to do nothing to solve her engagement problem, that she wasted her time and coddle her peerage. Rias coasted through her time here, as if the answers to her problem would naturally come to her because she was a Gremory. It was why, when they both came to the this world, Rias decided to keep her family name.

While Sona was proud to be a Sitri and took her family responsibilities seriously, she held no illusions that the human world could be a dangerous place. Sona knew that as devils they did have enemies, they could not act with impunity, and that a little discretion goes a long way. It was why she adopted the name 'Souna Shitori' during her stay in the human world. While Kuoh was considered devil territory, it was merely a formality.

As 'supernaturals', themselves, their presence here rested on the pleasure of the Yōkai and local magical faction of Japan. The title of 'Governor', which Rias held, was more of a responsibility than any real authority. It was the responsibility and burden of the 'Governor' to ensure that no supernatural harm came to the humans who lived in this town as well as to ensure that the humans remained ignorant of all matters relating to the supernatural. Being Governor, or claiming Kuoh as their territory, didn't guarantee their safety, it simply identified the area in which they were responsible for. Unlike Rias, Sona felt that anonymity would help ensure that they didn't bring unnecessary attention from their enemies or the mostly oblivious humans.

Sona did believe that humans were interesting, well some were.

Most humans were like devils, in that they were content to get by on their natural born talents. There were good ones, bad ones, but some held hidden potential and the desire to see it through. Some were self motivated, others needed a bit of encouragement. But like a seed holding the power to grow into something more, people, both devils and humans, only needed the proper environment to see their inner talents come forth. Sona was determined to learn how to create the right conditions so that the students of Kuoh Academy could at least have the opportunity to become more than they knew. One day in the future she would do the same for the school that she would build in the Underworld for the entire devil race.

For now, she was content to watch with a hidden sense of satisfaction as her latest peerage member, her **[Pawn]** , Saji Genshirou eagerly set out for today's tasks. His fellow **[Pawn]** , Nimura Ruruko, cheerfully followed along to help Saji settle in his new duties in a devil's peerage.

' _Perhaps she's glad she's no longer the newest member'_ , Sona mused privately.

Ruruko and Saji left with Hanakai Momo, Sona's **[Bishop],** who took it upon herself to explain Saji's duties as Student Council Secretary. One by one her peerage left the office on their assigned tasks, till it was just her and Shinra Tsubaki, Sona's **[Queen]** , student council vice president, personal secretary, and best friend. They both were serious, efficient, worked quietly, and could communicate with one another with a glance when the situation required it. Traits needed not only to help run the student council effectively, but ones that would surely prove beneficial once Sona's peerage was complete and they could compete in their own Rating Games to ensure their place in devil society.

Suddenly, their work was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sona paused and glanced at her desk to ensure there was nothing on it that would reveal the existence of devils to her uninvited guest. After a quick inspection followed by a nod to Tsubaki, Sona signaled she was ready.

"Enter", Tsubaki called out.

"Kaichō?" a student replied as she peeked her head through the door with a degree of uncertainty. The student's unease didn't abate when she saw the student council president and vice president giving her their full undivided attention behind the imposing large oak desk. Never the less, she apprehensively stepped fully into the room and respectfully bowed before them.

"Yes Murayama-san? What is it?", Sona politely asked.

"You have a guest" The young girl replied still dressed in her kendo outfit from practice. "He says he doesn't have an appointment or a visitor's pass, but asked to be escorted here to see you."

"Thank you Murayama-san, please send him in." Sona said, hiding her curiosity. It wasn't that uninvited guest were uncommon. Students rarely requested appointments to see the student council, something which slightly annoyed Sona due to her organized nature. Never the less, she always made time to hear them out, or at least hear them out long enough so that they could schedule an appointment for a later time. But a meeting with someone who wasn't a student…

Sona's breath caught in her throat, she could barely hide her surprise as a red headed figure stepped in the door; even Tsubaki gave a small gasp and straightened up further. At first it appeared as if Maō Lucifer himself has paid her an unannounced visit, but as she continued to look at him she realized they were not the same person. They did bare a resemblance, a very striking resemblance. But this was no man, he was a teenager. His hair was shorter than the Maō's, but the color of crimson was so similar to Sirzechs and Rias, and his face…

" _Sirzechs always looked young but this…"_ , Sona privately thought.

"Thank you very much for escorting me Murayama-san" the stranger said with an easy smile. A smile Sona had seen too often on the face Maō Lucifer.

Murayama smiled back and with a quiet "Excuse me" she quickly left the intimidating office and presence of the student council president and vice president.

Their guest, however, showed no signs of intimidation as he approached the desk. His all too familiar blue-green eyes, a trait shared by the Gremory siblings and patriarch, never left Sona. He was dressed in a pinstripe suit and tie, though he didn't wear a jacket with his outfit. Instead he had a matching vest with a gold chain hanging out of one of his pockets, most likely linked to a pocket watch. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows which gave him a "working executive" look.

"Souna Shitori" he stated, not asked. It was as if he knew exactly who he was addressing. "My name is Ambrose Dragon-Slayer. Here are my credentials." He said while holding out a manila envelope for her inspection.

Sona took the envelope, but before she opened it she could help but ask with an arched eyebrow, "Dragon-Slayer?"

"A bit pretentious," Ambrose smiled with some degree of embarrassment and that familiar smile, "but not a name I chose for myself."

"Hmm", Sona mused to herself as she opened the envelope and began to read.

Her guests, Ambrose, took a seat on the other side of the desk and made himself comfortable. It was as if he had nothing better to do than to patently wait for Sona to finish reviewing the documents contained within the envelope. His eyes watched Sona and never once moved from her, even when Tsubaki moved to prepare some tea. Sona tried to keep the surprise from her face as she read what appeared to be a resume.

"Sorcerer?" Sona asked, not taking her eyes off the paper. "You graduated top of your class, completing seven years of magical education in only three?"

"Yes, I take it your vice president in on the secret of supernaturals?" Ambrose asked, gesturing to Tsubaki.

"She is my **[Queen]**." Sona replied as an explanation.

Ambrose nodded in response as Tsubaki handed him a cup of tea.

"Thank you…. Shinra-san was it?", he asked showing that he had at least some knowledge of who he was dealing with.

"Hai", Tsubaki stoically replied and moved to dutifully stand behind her **[King]** , mostly so she could discretely read over her **[King]** 's shoulder.

"Alchemist?" Sona said surprised and took her eyes off the resume and looked at the individual in front of her. "You created the cure for lycanthropy?"

"Yes, one of my more popular alchemical creations." He answered with a bit of pride in his voice.

"I didn't realize its creator was so young." Tsubaki remarked, clearly impressed.

"Something I try to keep secret", Ambrose replied with a smile, "Fame is a nuance, and the attention it brings also brings the eyes of those who wish to steal your methods and secrets."

Sona nodded in response. It wasn't unusual for a sorcerer or alchemist to be secretive, alchemists were well known for their secrecy. What was unusual was one seeking out a devil. Sure, pacts between devils and those who could wield magic were common; encouraged even. But alchemist generally kept to themselves, and something felt like this was more than a simple contract.

"I see that Dragon-Slayer isn't just a name." Sona said while continuing her review of the resume.

"A name, title, and well earned accolade" he replied.

"Your resume says you've killed several, but lists only two. One in the Bayankala Mountain range of China, and another in the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery."

"Those are the two that can be confirmed through eye witnesses." Ambrose clarified.

"How many have you killed?" Sona asked, now worried about her newest **[Pawn]**.

"Lots." he simply replied and didn't elaborate further.

"Wasn't that school destroyed?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yes, but it's been rebuilt.", Ambrose embarrassingly replied with a small blush. "The school was built over an evil-dragon's den. They would regularly sacrifice a maiden every 10 years or so in order to sate the dragon's … urges. During my last year there I found out about it and … objected to their practice. So I dealt with the dragon and saved the girl; unfortunately the school was subsequently destroyed during the fight."

"Should I be worried about my school?", Sona couldn't help but ask.

"Not from me. I didn't come here looking to start trouble, nor am I looking to make enemies. Quite the opposite in fact." Ambrose replied with a smile, no doubt pleased to have cleared up any misunderstanding.

"Glad to hear it. And for the record I'm glad to hear you tried to do the right thing and save your fellow classmate. I may be a devil, but I take my responsibility as student council president very seriously. All students in Kuoh Academy are under my protection." Sona said not only as a statement of fact, but as a hidden message _"I protect this school and its students from all threats, even you."_ She felt very protective of her students and even more protective of her peerage; a peerage which included her newly turned **[Pawn]** Genshirou Saji, who wielded a Dragon **[** **S** **acred** **G** **ear** **]**. The fact that this sorcerer in front of her slayed dragons wasn't lost on her.

"If only my alma-mater took student safety as serious as you, perhaps that entire event could have been avoided." remarked Ambrose.

"Slaying a dragon is no small feat. It is impressive that you managed to save her." Tsubaki chimed in.

"It's too bad she didn't feel the same", Ambrose commented. "She had been raised from a young age to believe that it was her duty to sacrifice herself to the dragon. She wasn't exactly grateful for the rescue."

Both Tsubaki and Sona blinked in surprise as they digested that bit of information. Still, Sona felt it was time to get to the purpose of this impromptu visit.

"What can I do for you Mr. Dragon-Slayer?" Sona asked, wanting to get to the point of this meeting.

"Well you see...", Ambrose paused for a moment, "May I call you Sitri-san?"

"You may" she replied, not at all surprised he knew her true name.

"I have a problem that you can help with. A problem that requires a great deal of cunning and intellect to accomplish. I have been reliably informed that you are such a person. And, as a devil, I understand you complete contracts for a price. Favors for payment, is that right?"

"Correct." Sona replied. "What exactly do you need?"

"Well, that's the thing. I require complete confidentiality in order to complete my task. If I am to accept your help, I must have your absolute discretion. My reasons for being here **must** remain absolutely secret." Ambrose insisted.

"You'll have my silence." Sona replied, "So long as your task isn't a threat to devils, devil society, or the territory of Kuoh and its citizens. Tsubaki, my **[Queen]** , has my full confidence."

"She doesn't have mine." Ambrose quickly replied, "No offense." He offered to Tsubaki as an apology. "And before I divulge my overall purpose here I need to test you. To see if you're intelligent enough to help me complete my task."

"And just how do you propose to test me?" Sona questioned.

"You have a lovely chess board." Ambrose said, gesturing to the table and chairs set aside for Sona's personal matches against Tsubaki and occasionally Rias. "How about a game? Impress me and I'll be more than happy share my secrets with you."

Sona couldn't hide the smile on her face as she leaned forward, not only eager to prove her intelligence but relishing the challenge in defeating a new opponent.

"Very well. Are you prepared to accept the consequences?", Sona asked with a challenging smile.

"Are you?" Ambrose immediately replied with a smile of his own.

They both rose from their chairs and moved towards the chessboard.

"Ladies first" Ambrose said as he held open the chair in front of the white pieces, offering the seat to her.

She smiled in response, took her seat, and waited for her opponent to sit down before she moved her pawn in order to begin the game.

"Tell me," Ambrose casually asked as he maneuvered his own pieces in response to Sona's moves. "How do you choose who will be in your peerage?"

"A bit of research and intelligence gathering." She replied evasively as she focused on the game and building her strategy.

"But how do you gauge that talent? How do you find out the potential of someone when it's hidden from themselves?", he pressed further.

"A bit of instinct, experience, but devils can sense a bit of the innate power residing in individuals", she remarked while setting up her first trap.

"And what do you sense from me?", Ambrose asked as he moved his knight anticipating and countering her trap at a delicate stage of its formation, leaving her bishop vulnerable.

' _Shit',_ Sona thought as she tried to minimize her pieces at risk by bringing out her queen to protect her bishop while leaving her pawn vulnerable. Ambrose responded by bringing his rook out to play, effectively limiting the maneuverability of her other pieces.

Sona paused for a moment to study the board; most players would have taken her pawn for an easy prize. Her eyes left the board as she truly regarded the opponent in front of her. She knew he was intelligent, that much is obvious from his resume and how he saw right through the trap she had yet to even finish setting up. But she couldn't discern his strategy behind bringing out his rook.

"I don't sense anything from you." she replied, not only to acknowledge his strategy but how she couldn't sense any magical energy from him. _'Nothing at all'_ , she thought as she moved her bishop so that her own queen could then move freely about the board in hopes of breaking up whatever strategy he had in place.

"Small things move beneath the notice of larger, more powerful things." he replied as his pawn took her knight. "And it often pays to be underestimated by your opponents."

"Thanks for the advice" Sona quipped in response. Freeing her bishop did mean that she could now move her queen; however it had just cost her a knight. She decided to not let him distract her further and resolved to do better as they began to trade moves.

It was a frustrating game for Sona, he never took her bait and the only time he did fall for her trap she claimed his knight. He then showed that he allowed himself to fall into her trap by promptly by taking her own queen in response. After that she stopped trying to set traps to lure him in, she focused on trying to figure out his own strategy so that she could countermand it.

"You're quite good at this" Ambrose remarked.

"I'd say the same but..." Sona replied as she took his queen and smiled in triumph. Her confidence was then quickly shaken.

"Check" Ambrose replied as he moved his bishop at an angle which tenuously threatened her king. One of his knights was positioned so her king could only move further behind her own pawns, effectively trapping it behind her own pieces. With only one move available Sona quickly moved her king out of the bishops range.

"Checkmate" he replied casually as he moved his rook to the far side of the board. The same rook which sat unmoving since the he first brought it out to control the board. Sona stared in disbelief that her own pieces had trapped her king. It was as if they betrayed her by simply being in the way. She searched the board again for a solution.

' _No… it's done'_ She thought morosely as she tipped her king over and admitted defeat.

She, Sona Sitri, had lost for the first time since her parents stated that she had to marry the next man who defeated her in chess. She looked across the board, expecting to see a knowing smirk, maybe even a gloating face. He came here, knowing who she was, knowing who her **[Queen]** was. He challenged her and she had lost. She was now, for all intents and purposes, engaged to a stranger. As she looked across at him she expected to see pride, smugness, or even a sense of accomplishment on his face. Instead what she saw was that carefree smile on his face, so similar to that of Sirzechs'.

"Good game", Ambrose graciously said, offering her a handshake.

"Yes, thank you for the game", Sona hesitantly replied returning his handshake while hiding the anxiety she felt; her life was now forever changed.

"Well," Ambrose cheerfully spoke up, "You've impressed me. I'd like the opportunity to share my secrets and goals with you. Once you've heard my case of what I need accomplished, I believe we can come to a mutual beneficial agreement where I get what I need and you can be compensated in return."

"But... I lost." Sona replied with some confusion.

" _Doesn't he know?"_ she thought with some degree of confusion, _"He came here already knowing who I was; doesn't he know what this means? He said he knew the consequences."_

"The goal of this exercise wasn't to win.", Ambrose clarified. "It was to impress me, and you did so quite splendidly. Your strategy was fluid, adaptive, and when you became unsure you then figured out various different ways to not only probe my own defenses but determine my own strategy. It was a very impressive game, and a pleasure to play against you. Perhaps, if our negotiations go well, we can play again sometime?"

Sona listlessly nodded in return as her eyes fell to the board once more, as if she was searching for meaning, truth, or even answers on how she was so soundly trounced.

"Well then, how does dinner sound?", Ambrose unexpectedly asked.

"Excuse me?" Sona questioned, her attention once more focused on the teen in front of her. The teen who was now, for all intents and purposes, her new fiance.

"Dinner, tonight?" He questioned, unaware of her inner turmoil. "Dinner and a show. I can present my work to you and you can help me find a solution to my problem. That is if you're interested in the job."

"Yes." She nodded in return. "Of course."

"Excellent", he replied with that same carefree smile she'd seen so often on Maō Lucifer as he handed her his business card. "Here's my address. Please be sure to use the front door as my wards react to intruders and uninvited guests. Can I expect you at 7 o'clock?"

"Yes, 7 is fine." She replied as she looked card with an address listed in Kuoh.

"I'm looking forward to it." Ambrose said with a smile and then stood from his chair, "If you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make. Until then."

Sona watched as he left, her mind looking for answers but coming up only with more questions. She was once again struck by how familiar he looked. His carefree smile, his kind blue-green eyes, his crimson colored hair. He could easily pass as a Gremory.

" _As a Gremory...",_ Sona thought as her mind began to recall a story from when she was a child.

"I believe congratulations are in order, Kaichō.", Tsubaki teased with a smile. "Shall I inform your family of the happy announcement?"

"Tsubaki." Sona said; the levity and seriousness of her tone immediately was clear to her **[Queen]**.

"Hai, Kaichō." Tsubaki instinctively replied, ready to receive her orders, all playfulness gone from her voice.

"Give Momo a new task. Have her use her contacts within the magical community to find out more about Ambrose Dragon-Slayer." Sona ordered.

"She's training our newest recruit at the moment." Tsubaki reminded her **[King]** , "I have a few contacts I could use."

"No," Sona replied with a small shake of her head, "I need you to do something far more delicate. Go to the underworld, quietly, and head to the Imperial Repository of the Underworld. I need you to discretely find all information you can on the kidnapping of Millicas Gremory and bring me an in depth summary."

"Millicas Gremory? I've never heard of Millicas Gremory?" Tsubaki asked with a touch of confusion. "Is he a distant cousin of Rias-san?"

"No." Sona said with a shake of her head. "He is Sirzechs' missing son."

"Missing son?", Tsubaki blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing the potential importance of this meeting. "If he's Sirzechs' son, why didn't he say so? I didn't even know Maō Lucifer had a son."

"He was kidnapped, maybe around 10 or 11 years ago if I recall correctly. If we just met him then he might have been too young to remember his family." Sona thoughtfully replied. "It happened before you were turned. I was only a child myself, so I don't know all the details. I do know that his disappearance is was never solved. Millicas was never found and its believed that he died..." Sona's gaze peered at Tsubaki, "I need information, news, rumors, even conspiracies; what ever you can find. Who might have been responsible, the exact date it happened, maybe even possible clues."

"Should we let Rias know?" Tsubaki questioned. "She might know more than the official records."

Sona shook her head, "No, it's a very painful memory for the Gremory clan. The entire Underworld believes Millicas is dead, and the Gremory family has tried very hard to move on from that tragedy. I don't want to give them false hope or reopen old wounds with out being certain. I'll need proof, and right now I have none, other then this Dragon-Slayer's appearance. Until we know for sure, all information regarding this visit is to remain within the peerage only. Even then, consider it privileged information and don't spread it around to other members of the peerage unless they need to know. I don't want this leaking out."

"Understood." Tsubaki dutifully replied as she headed towards the door. "I'll inform Momo of her new task and head to the Underworld immediately after."

"Tsubaki." Sona called out before her **[Queen]** departed.

"Kaichō?" Tsubaki asked, pausing with her hand on the door handle.

In a rare moment of emotional vulnerability, Sona averted her eyes; a light blush adorning her cheeks. "Send Ruruko up as well. I'll need help picking out a dress."

Tsubaki couldn't keep the teasing smile from her face. "Hai, Kaichō."

* * *

Sona sighed as she succumbed to Ruruko's enthusiastic ministrations. It wasn't as if she hated dressing up, Sona had been to more of her share of formal parties. She just felt like a doll at the moment, a doll that was being dressed rather than a young girl getting dress. Ruruko's cheerful attitude didn't help as it reminded Sona too much of her own sister and the costumes she forced Sona to wear. And while Ruruko was normally full of energy and high very spirited, asking for help in picking out an outfit for her date seemed to set her **[Pawn]** 's cheerfulness to new heights. Ruruko wasn't the only one; once she explained how she had just lost a game of chess, Momo quickly picked up on the situation and volunteered to help find a suitable dress for what was now dubbed as "The Big Date". The only thing that stopped Momo from immediately helping her **[King]** for "The Big Date" was her task of finding out about her **[King]** 's new fiance.

And so it was, nearly an hour after school, three hours till "The Big Date", Sona was no closer to finding a dress she felt comfortable enough to wear.

"I can't believe you don't have an LBD." Ruruko remarked with a frown.

"Eh, LBD?" Sona asked.

"Little Black Dress" Ruruko said with a twirl and a wink.

" _Honestly",_ Sona thought in exasperation, _"all she needs is a magical girl outfit and Onee-sama might steal my **[Pawn]** right from under me."_

"Every girl needs a little black dress for those special and unexpected big dates and hot nights." Ruruko lectured and giggled enthusiastically.

" _Hot nights?"_ Sona panically thought. She wanted to deny it, deny it was even a date, but in reality she couldn't.

Her future was now tied to a stranger. While she didn't resent Ambrose for the situation, she couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about the lack of control in regards to her own future. Never the less this was a date, and not only did she need it to be a success, she needed to get answers from her new mysterious fiance as well. He was clever enough to beat her in chess, he might even be smarter than her. But maybe, maybe if she could somehow "woo" him, she might catch him off guard and glean some new insights as to who he is.

"I'm here." Momo shouted as she burst into the room, unannounced and almost as cheerful as Ruruko.

" _What's with these two?"_ , Sona thought to herself, _"It's almost as if my sudden engagement is the greatest news ever."_

"Did you get it?" Ruruko enthusiastically asked.

Sona was almost too afraid to ask but her curiosity got the better of her, "Get what?"

"I sure did", Momo cheered as she held not only a folder containing the dossier she requested, but a little shopping bag.

" _Oh no",_ Sona thought; her eyes widening in shock as Momo reached into the bag and pulled out a small piece of black fabric.

"One Little Black Dress, as requested", Momo said with a wink and a cute pose.

"I think that's a bit small." Sona tried to reason to the girls.

"Nope, Tsubaki gave me your size. It'll fit. And let's not forget the pièce de résistance", Momo said as she pulled out a small lacy black thong.

"No", Sona protested.

"You have to." Momo said with Ruruko nodding emphatically behind her in agreement.

"No", Sona insisted once more.

"You can't wear regular panties with an LBD.", Momo reasoned, "The lines of your underwear will show."

"Besides, you've got to really 'wow' him so the two of you can fall in love and get married." Ruruko said with hearts in her eyes.

"Oh please," Sona dismissively replied, "I'm far too sensible to simply fall in love with someone on the first date."

"Sensible girls fall the hardest." Momo said with absolute certainty.

"Put on the dress, you'll change your mind once you see it." Ruruko emphatically argued.

"Fine", Sona acquiesced if only to hurry things along so she could reject it and find something else, "But read me the dossier while I change."

"Happily", Momo said with a smile as she opened the folder. "Let's see, it only goes back so far. No known parents or relatives of any kind. Earliest records appear six years ago in France. He was listed as an apprentice to an alchemist and druid named Gargamel of Giverny, but he wasn't listed as "Dragon-Slayer", only as 'Ambrose the Apprentice'. There are no official records of his apprenticeship during that time since Gargamel was a druid and lived alone in the wilderness. Despite the lack of official documentation, it states that Gargamel tutored him for four years before he died of old age and bequeathed Ambrose a small stipend for him to use solely for his education. It was with these funds that Ambrose enrolled himself in the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery a year later after his mentor died. It's also the first instance where he used the name "Dragon-Slayer". Apparently he learned a lot from Gargamel, as he became a licensed alchemist and potion maker his very first year of enrollment. Seems he used his profits from his sales to not only purchase ingredients and fund his research but also to take archaeological and curse breaking expeditions into China, Egypt, and France during the summer break for additional school credits which helped him graduate early."

"Interesting." Sona commented from behind her dressing curtain. "Please continue."

"Please exuse the intrustion." Tsubaki quietly said as she entered the room, returning from her assigned task from the Underworld.

"Tsubaki-san!", Ruruko cheered, "You're just in time to see Sona's big reveal."

"You got the little black dress? Excellent." Tsubaki said with a smile.

"Maō, not you too", Sona groaned in frustration of her **[Queen]** conspiring against her as well, "Please continue with your report Momo."

"Right away Kaichō", Momo cutely replied. "Let's see. His file is filled with special commendations to the school as well as academic awards and achievements. There's no official mention of him destroying the school, but he did receive a special commendation in defense of the students during a dragon attack and graduated later that year."

"He did say that the school was sacrificing their students to the dragon." Tsubaki thoughtfully spoke up, "Perhaps they covered it up and gave him his diploma as they pushed him out the door in order to keep things under wraps."

"What else is there Momo?" Sona asked from behind the changing screen.

"He's the youngest person awarded with the title of Master Alchemist, and many people agree he is most likely to become the next immortal alchemist by creating another philosopher's stone. His contribution to magical society by inventing and providing the cure to lycanthropy has earned him a lot of accommodations as well as harsh criticism."

"Criticism?" Sona question, wondering why people might chastise him for such an accomplishment.

Momo nodded and focused on the dossier, "Seems he's rather tight lipped about how the potion is created and refuses to share its secrets with anyone else. There are those who accuse him of being greedy, since he's the only provider of the potion and could potentially charge whatever he wants. Since no one knows how he creates it, some rumors are circulating that he's purposefully inflating the price."

"How much does he charge for it?" Ruruko asked.

"¥1,500,000 per dose." Momo replied after glancing at her report, "There's also the fact that there's a waiting list and he only produces around 300 bottles at a time. That's ¥450,000,000 a month."

Ruruko whistled, "That's a hell of an income."

"He's very particular about how they're sold too." Momo continued, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "300 bottles are to be sold on every new moon in a shop that he personally owns. It seems the list is generated per individual and not sold to any magical government, institutions, or lieu a cursed individual. A cursed victim has to go into the store after a full moon and add his or her name to the list. Then they have to return on the night of a new moon with payment in hand. Potions are to be sold to cursed individuals only and must be taken on the premises. Under no circumstances is the potion to be removed from his shop."

"Seems he's keeping a tight control in order to ensure he's the only provider", Tsubaki observed.

"Or maybe it has to be taken under specific circumstances. While lycans can turn at will, both lycans and werewolves are forced to turn on the night of a full moon. It's no coincidence the potion is sold and used on the night of a new moon", Sona reasoned out loud.

"Whats the difference between a lycan and a werewolf?" Ruruko asked, having only recently been turned the nuances of supernaturals were still new to her.

"Werewolves are cursed; they began their lives as something else, usually humans. They also lose their sanity when they turn into their lupine form. Lycans are born with the curse, and through generations they have developed the means to retain some of their mind and reason when they've turned. They also can change outside of a full moon. Then there are balverines who are also cursed, but they're doomed to forever remain in their lupine form and lose all sense of themselves. They're mindless beasts and remain so for the rest of their lives. Balvarines, Lycans and Werewolves are infected with lycanthropy, and thus should be able to be cured with this potion." Tsubaki lecture her junior. "Still, it doesn't explain why he won't share his findings with others."

Sona thought it was unsurprising that Tsubaki felt the cure should be freely shared, considering she came from a family renowned for purifying evil spirits.

"The ability to cure those cursed with lycanthropy would naturally be in high demand. He should share it with others", Tsubaki emphatically stated.

"Tsubaki is a charitable devil, indeed." Ruruko giggled, but wilted under the glare of her Fuku-Kaichō and **[Queen]**.

"Is there anything else?" Sona asked from behind the curtain.

"I did check into the Bayankala Mountain incident", Momo stated, "I couldn't get any official confirmation of his presence there, but I did get some rumors which are of note."

"Go on." Sona encouraged.

"Five years ago, after Gargamel of Giverny died but a year before Ambrose enrolled in the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery, there was an incident a the Bayankala Mountains in China. The official story is that there was a fight to the death between the Dragon Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty and Marquis Saffron Phenex, the previous head and patriarch of the Phenex clan who resided in the mountain at that time. The fight resulted in both of their deaths. However, the local tribe of the Joketsuzoku tell a different story. They describe a young child, a child with red crimson hair who slew not only the Dragon Prince Herb but also Saffron Phenex in an epic three way battle. Most people dismiss this story due to the Joketsuzoku reputation for embellishing their tales. Despite this, the Joketsuzoku insist their story is true and have offered a large reward to child they refer to as "The Crimson Haired Dragon Slayer" for his defeat of both Dragon Prince Musk and Saffron Phenex. It should be noted that the Joketsuzoku tribe has benefited greatly from the power vacuum that followed in the aftermath of the destruction of both superpowers. The territory of the Joketsuzoku tribe has tripled in size with out the Musk Dynasty and Saffron Phenex in the region. It would have increased even further had it not been for the destruction of the Bayankala Mountains itself, which is now a crater."

" _Now **that** was an interesting bit of information."_ Sona thought to herself. "It does fit the timeline. Ambrose the Apprentice somehow finds his way into the Bayankala Mountains, and leaves as Ambrose the Dragon Slayer. A name he uses to enroll in the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery."

" _A name, title, and well earned accolade...",_ Sona recalled him saying, _"...not a name I chose for myself"_

"Wasn't Rias's engagement to Riser Phenex due to the fact that the Phenex clan suddenly changed heads?" Tsubaki wondered aloud.

"Yes, it was", Sona startlingly realized, "They tried to hush it up but was too big for them to really hide; an immortal Phenex had actually died. Not just any Phenex but the head of their clan. They became desperate to replace their loss and developed a hatred of dragons because it was believed a dragon killed their patriarch. It was in that desperation that they eagerly pushed to engage all their children, Riser included. The Phenex clan had lost Saffron while the Gremory clan had lost Millicas. With both clans suffering a loss they were both looking to secure their future. That's why the engagement between Riser and Rias was made."

"You think there's any truth to this Jezzy tribe's story?" Ruruko asked.

"Joketsuzoku", Sona corrected her **[Pawn]** , "And while they might embellish their own heroic feats I doubt they would offer a high reward to some stranger that didn't exist. No, if they were lying then they would claim that victory for themselves."

"Unless they were responsible for the calamity and made the story up in order to deflect reprisal from clan Phenex." Tsubaki reasoned.

"I doubt a tribe of humans could defeat both a dragon prince and the Marquis Phenex in a three way battle", Momo replied.

"You think a child could?", Tsubaki responded.

"He might have a chance if he were the son of Maō Lucifer and wielded the power of destruction", Sona argued. "Tsubaki, what did you find in your report?"

"How about we see your dress first", Tsubaki deflected, "You've hidden behind that curtain long enough."

Sona was about to argue back when Momo and Ruruko quickly sided with Tsubaki.

"Yes, yes!"

"Show us!"

"Maō", Sona groaned in frustration and came out behind the curtain ready to face ridicule for her appearance.

She was met with wide eyes and gasps from her three peerage members.

"Wow"

"So sexy"

"Very impressive Kaichō."

"R-Really?" Sona asked with uncertainty as she approached the full length mirror. The dress hugged her lithe body; accompanied with the thong she now wore, the dress merely served as a silhouette of what lay beneath. "I can't wear this. It's way too much." Sona protested, hastily correcting herself "No, it's way too little!".

"That's what accessories are for." Ruruko argued back as Momo nodded in agreement. "A nice purse, a pair of shoes, some earrings, a necklace, a night shawl and you'll be set."

"Use this one", Momo said as she pulled a purple shawl out of the shopping bag. "It matches your eyes."

A see-through purple shawl was then draped over Sona's shoulders. While she felt that the color didn't quite match her eyes, they did some how bring out the color of them. Sona hated to admit it, but it did help. Though not enough in her opinion.

"What did you find out Tsubaki?" Ruruko asked, effectively focusing Sona's attention to her **[Queen]** rather than the dress she now wore.

"Not much, I'm afraid." Tsubaki admitted. "There was a lot of finger pointing going around about the kidnapping of Millicas Gremory. First at the Old Satan Faction, then at the Fallen Angels, finally at the Angles themselves. All sides denied their involvement. The only real evidence is circumstantial at best. Witnesses did identify three low-class devils of the Old Satan faction who were believed to have carried out the kidnapping. They were found dead near the Gremory territory, possibly murdered in order to maintain their silence; however, no physical evidence could link them with Millicas's disappearance. After that it degrades into accusations and conspiracies against the Fallen Angels and Angels. They all denied it, and both sides even offered to help search. The conspiracies then point to a church in Italy that was destroyed a year after Millicas disappeared. At first the Angels blamed devils for it. The Maōs denied it of course, but there were a few whispers that it was the site where Millicas was held, or murdered, and that Maō Lucifer was ready to start a war over his missing son. He quickly silenced those rumors by stating the Angles had nothing to do with his son's disappearance, and that the devils had no involvement in the destruction of their church. Millicas Gremory was then declared dead and the investigation into his disappearance ended."

"What's the timeline, how how long ago did the kidnapping take place?" Sona asked.

"Eleven years ago." Tsubaki replied.

"And Ambrose's apprenticeship, when did that begin?", Sona asked, trying to reform the timeline as if it were a puzzle with missing pieces.

"First record of him was in Gargamel's will who died six years ago," Momo said while reviewing the dossier, "but it says he mentored Ambrose for four years previously. So ten years."

"Millicas was five when he was kidnapped. Gets moved around for a year until he some how escapes captivity, maybe in Italy. He escapes, finds a druid named Gargamel in the wilds of France. Stays there for four years making him ten when Gargamel dies." Sona says aloud trying to reconstruct the order of events.

"You think a ten year old could survive on his own and make it from central Europe to the Bayankala Mountains in China where he goes onto slay not only a dragon but the patriarch of the Phenex clan?" Tsubaki asked in disbelief.

"Ten or eleven." Momo corrected, "There's a year's difference between when Gargamel died and when he enrolled in school."

"It doesn't explain how he was able to survive the journey to China." Tusbaki insisted.

"This world is full of mysteries." Sona reasoned and then continued with her theorized order of events. "He then spends three years completing a seven year degree in magical studies making him fourteen by the time he graduated."

"Wait, his official records list him as being fifteen by the time he graduated, and he's only been out of school for two years." Momo said looking over her notes.

"His resume says he's seventeen, but if he is Millicas he's actually sixteen." Tsubaki said, her eyes widening in thought.

"He might not know his own age." Sona realized.

"No birthday is listed in his records." Momo said in realization after reviewing the dossier.

"There's still no proof." Sona stated with a frown, "The timeline could fit but there's nothing linking Millicas Gremory with Ambrose Dragon-Slayer. We'll need to get evidence before we go any further. Until then no one else can know that we might have found Sirzechs Lucifer's missing son. If word of this gets out before we have any evidence we risk reopening a very deep wound for the Gremory family."

"Even if he isn't Millicas, it's still sad. Ambrose doesn't have any family what so ever. He's all alone." Ruruko said, her trade mark smile no where to be found. But only for a moment, for it quickly returned as she exclaimed, "But Kaichō will soon heal his heart and knock his socks off with her little black dress!"

"I'm not wearing this!" Sona protested.

"But you have to, we don't have time to find something new." Momo chimed in.

"I still have an hour and a half." Sona argued back after checking the time.

"Nope, we have to do your makeup next." Ruruko cheerfully replied.

"Here, you can use my eyeliner", Tsubaki quickly offered.

" _Traitors"_ , Sona thought as her protests fell on deaf ears.


	3. Prequel Chapter 2

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona Sitri walked with obvious uncertainty towards the address listed on the business card given to her by her mysterious guest and new fiance; the sorcerer and alchemist named Ambrose Dragon-Slayer. Someone who just might be Millicas Gremory, Maō Lucifer's missing son. A lot was riding on this meeting; her future was on the line, perhaps even the future of the devils if her suspicions of his origin were true. All this didn't take into consideration the mysterious purpose Ambrose had for wanting to meet with her in the first place. She gave no thought to the little black dress she was coerced into wearing, nor the appreciative eyes on some of the humans she passed on the sidewalk. In all honesty she did feel … sexy in the dress, it gave her a bit of confidence; something she felt she desperately needed at the moment.

She was thankful that he lived in a safe part of Kuoh. It was a well lit area; the apartment building was near shops and restaurants which stayed open well after dark. While Kuoh was generally a peaceful city, it did have its abandoned buildings that were sometimes frequented by stray devils. Not that she would be worried if there was an incident, she could handle anything humans or strays could offer. Still, it was nice to know she wouldn't be harassed, she had more to worry about in this moment than strays or a drunk human with wandering hands.

As she approached the apartment building, she took note of the building itself. It was a nice building; new, still clean, and had a small wooded area in the block across the street that had yet to be developed. She frowned for a moment as she approached the door, realizing that she had to be buzzed in, and didn't find an apartment listing with the name "Dragon-Slayer" on it. Checking the address again, she saw there was an apartment number listed on the card itself and she then found and pressed the appropriate button.

"Sitir-san?" Ambrose's voice came out on the intercom after a moment.

"Yes." Sona replied with more confidence than she felt. "I'm a little early, I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all", he replied over the intercom. "Press and hold the intercom button while I key you to the wards. Look across the street, the front door is at the corner on your right."

Blinking in surprise, she did as was instructed and held the intercom button.

' _Look across the street?'_ she wondered and looked...

Her eyes widen in surprise as the wooded area, the undeveloped block across the street, began to shimmer. The illusion of the trees fell and a building began to take shape in its place. It was a large French city home, built from a gray stone that was not indigenous to Japan. It was five stories tall and the property took up the entire city block. The house itself only took up half of the block, but the entire back yard of the property was walled in the same gray stone house was built from. She crossed the street and noticed an ornate gate in front of her which lead to what she assumed was the backyard. Through the gate she could see a garden, hedges, and she heard the sound of running water from either a fountain or a pool.

' _Front door is on the corner to the right'_ , She reminded herself as she turned to continue down the path marveling at the house which seemed to have appeared out of thin air. She walked past a few windows, peeking in the once hidden home, curious as to what she'd find inside. Eventually she gave it up as a bad job, and walked further to the corner to the front door.

The door opened before she even had a chance to knock. Her host and new fiance was standing there ready to greet her. He was still wearing the same shirt with pinstripe pants and vest that he had worn earlier. Although his clothes could be considered nice enough to qualify as dress clothes, Sona couldn't help but feel over dressed for the occasion. The welcoming smile that was on his face slowly fell and his eyes widened in surprise as he took in her appearance. For a moment neither one of them spoke as they stood awkwardly before one another; him inside the house, her at the threshold. Her self confidence had vanished in an instant.

"You're beautiful", Ambrose suddenly said in a whisper.

Sona's eyes widened, and her cheeks grew red hot as his bold declaration registered.

"It's nothing, really", she deflected.

"No, really. You're beautiful," he said again, almost insistently; as if he were trying to convince her of her own beauty. He then shook his head, as if to clear it from a haze or memory, and smiled again. "Where are my manners? Please, come in", he invited, "Make yourself comfortable, Sitri-san."

"Thank you. And please, call me Sona when we're alone", Sona requested as she stepped in to the foyer and marveled at his home. As a high class devil, she was no stranger to luxury. And while this home couldn't hold a candle to the luxury and excess of a high class devil's estate, it was beautifully decorated in what was clearly a vintage French style. The first thing she noticed was that the floor was made of black and white marble slabs, cut into squares; as if the floor was a large chess board. The foyer was decorated with french tables and pedestals which held various archaeological artifacts on display.

"Please; you can call me Ambrose, as well." he insisted.

She returned his smile with one of her own, "You have a lovely home."

"Thank you." Ambrose said with a satisfied smile, "I'm quite proud of it. It took a long time to buy, build, and alter this place. The wards were particularly tricky. When I realized I had to move to Japan I couldn't part with it, so I decided to bring it along with me. Packing is a chore, even with magic. So I decided not to pack and magically move the entire house and property with me."

"You're own mobile home", Sona quipped with a small smile.

"Indeed." Ambrose said with a light chuckle. "Would you like a little tour, or perhaps something to drink?"

"A tour would be nice." Sona said, wanting to see more of his house and possibly learn more about its owner along the way.

"My pleasure." Ambrose said and offered his arm to her.

Bashfully, Sona accepted the gentlemanly, possibly romantic, gesture and slid her arm within his. _'Maybe this will be easier than I thought.'_

He lead her out into the hallway where the checkerboard tiled marble was covered by a long hallway rug which formed a path; a kitchen lay down the hall in front of her, and more rooms around the corner to her immediate right. The hallway itself was aligned on both sides with Egyptian artifacts encased in glass in pride of place.

She took time to examine some of the wondrous relics and read a few of the inscriptions aloud, "Sigil of the Den of Lost Souls?", she read from one and then moved to another, "Tomb of the Burning Sands?"

"I see you know your hieroglyphs. Very impressive." Ambrose commented.

Truthfully it had more to do with a devil's power of **[Language]** more than her study of ancient human writings. All devils held a natural ability to understand any written and spoken language they were presented with. It was a necessity when making contracts with humans, which was a source of power for devils.

"I'm impressed as well. Not only do you know Egyptian, but your Japanese is excellent as well. How many languages do you know?" Sona inquired.

"A lot, I've always picked up languages quickly, pretty much instantly in fact." Ambrose replied after giving it some thought, "I think I was born with a magical ability to learn language instantly."

"That's quite the talent." Sona remarked, filing that information in the 'Pro-Millicas' list in her mind. She cozied up further next to him, "Please, show me more."

From the hallway he showed her the dining room, still decorated in the house's vintage French style. It was large by human standards, and the long dining room table would seat 8 comfortably. The living room was also well decorated, but inviting. It had an ornate chessboard that she couldn't help but touch, a lovely intricate fireplace mantel ready to be lit, and the wall along either side of fireplace hosted two large book cases. She took the time to peruse the titles, most were written in French, but quite a few were in English as well. They were old, 19th century she'd wager, and seemed to cover topics of Realism, Naturalism, and a few Romanticism.

"I wouldn't mind reading a few of these myself", Sona commented aloud, easily imagining curling up on his comfortable French sofa by the fireplace on a cold day with a good book. The warm arms of her fiance would wrap around her as she snuggled in… Sona quickly cleared her head of the thought, her imagination was getting away from her and she had to stay focused.

"The best are kept in the library on the fourth floor." Ambrose said with a knowing smile.

Sona couldn't help but smile back in return, her love of books had been discovered and he was teasing her.

"We'll get there." Ambrose promised with a wink, "But I want to show you some special things first. A few creations of mine that I'm very proud of."

"Please, lead the way", Sona insisted as she hooked her arm through his again.

He took her back down the hallway again, returning in the direction they originally came from, though this time they turned the corner past the dining room and foyer and into the kitchen. It was a nice kitchen, warm and inviting. It held a smaller table for more informal meals than the dining room, an exquisite antique stove, and was filled with the scent of fresh herbs and spices. As beautiful and clean as it was, it was definitely a kitchen that was used and meant to be used; though not the special destination she was expecting.

' _Not the destination at all, it seems."_ Sona thought as they walked to a door which lead to the backyard.

Her eyes widened in surprise. It was splendid, and took up half of the property. With out the walls and the gate obstructing her view, Sona could fully appreciate the care such a place needed in order to be maintained. The back yard was divided into three sections, a garden and a small orchid were separated by small hedges. On the far side, furthest from the house, she could make out a pool that was walled off with arches that allowed entry. It wasn't a wide pool, but it was long enough for two or three people to swim laps. In the center of it all, a modest size fountain sprinkled happily adding character to this magical garden. All in all, she felt that it was not only beautifully decorated, but an efficient use of space. The walls and arches held ornate stone bins in which flowers bloomed. She heard bees buzzing around, and quickly found a backyard hive in the garden which were used for the pollination of plants and the production of fresh honey.

"This way", he said as he lead her to the garden area.

Sona was no stranger to plants. While she herself was terrible at tending to them, the Sitri territory was famous for having the most rich and fertile lands in the Underworld, mostly due to their families inherent talent with water based magic. They were also quite famous for healing, providing medical aid and boasted at having the best hospital in the Underworld, which her father currently ran.

Sona took a moment to look at her host and new fiance. With his love of nature and his desire to heal people through alchemy, Sona felt that he could perhaps find a place within her clan and felt her heart glow at the thought.

Ambrose's attention was on the plant in front of him, and so too did she focus on the plant. Sona gently chastised herself for being further caught up on the romantic future the two of them might share. Ambrose seemed to have no idea they were, for all intents and purposes, engaged and quite honestly Sona was afraid to ruin the moment.

Instead she looked at the plant in front of her. It was short, only two and a half feet tall, with large white flowers blossoming sporadically around it. What caught her eye was the white ovoid nestled in every flower at various stages of growth and size. Some ovoids were small, and some were so large they looked like…

"Eggs?" Sona questioned.

Ambrose said nothing in return, but simply smiled, plucked one that was nestled within a blooming flower and held it before fer. He then deftly conjured a ceramic bowl, cracked the egg open, and presented the bowl for her inspection.

" _Yolk, egg white, and an empty shell"_ , Sona wondered. "You made a plant that grows eggs?"

"Not just eggs", he said and gestured around the garden.

Sona took another look around garden, inspecting each plant in turn. Some were familiar such as hemlock and acontium, or 'wolf's bane' as some called it. There was a wide variety of mushrooms, and plants she didn't recognize. One plant even held fruit that looked like it was on fire, though the bush it grew on seemed to be immune to its flame. She walked along the rows of the garden looking at each plant individually. In addition to eggs, she saw a plant that grew cheese and one that seemed to grow steak and ground beef. One row of plants had various species of fish growing out of it, green cups were covering the entire fish heads. She reached out and touched one, only to flinch back when it flapped its tail fin in reflex, as if trying to swim away while still attached to the plant.

"You're growing live fish from a plant." Sona exclaimed in surprise.

"Alchemy requires ingredients and I've learned to grow every type of organic ingredient I'll ever need. All I need is a sample and with it I can create a plant that will grow exactly what I need." Ambrose stated with pride. "I only need to go to the grocery store for milk and bread. It's too bad they don't deliver fresh milk and bread daily here in Japan." he winked at her.

"Combined with an alchemist's ability to transmute almost any non-organic ingredient you could almost cut the need to resupply completely." Sona observed, quite impressed with his accomplishment.

Ambrose nodded, "Yes, but transmutation takes a lot of time. Or at least, a lot of time is needed to create the quantities I require for the large volume potions I have to make. I am currently working on a new method to help speed up that process, but I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to grow all types of gems and metals from plants like I can for the organic components, but I did make this one plant… Come on," he gestured, "You'll love this."

He lead her to another row of plants in the garden and removed a fruit from the stalk of a plant she didn't recognize. He then presented it to her for inspection. It was glowing, yellow, pear shaped, and had a halo around its stem.

"What is it?" she asked feeling a bit uneasy at the appearance of a fruit adorned with an actual halo.

"Life Fruit, one of the two forbidden fruits from the Garden of Eden." he explained.

Sona's eyes widened in response. "The Garden of Eden has been sealed for millennia and is protected quite fiercely. How on earth did you get it?"

"I found one encased in amber during an expedition in Egypt. From that I managed to get a genetic sample and voilà. Here," he said, offering it to her, "taste it. Despite its glow and halo it has no holy or light energy. It's quite good."

Sona's hand tentatively reached out and took the strange glowing fruit with a halo around it. Indeed, she didn't sense any holy or light energy from it. Slowly she brought it to her lips and took a small experimental bite.

"It's delicious" she said, her eyes widening in surprise.

"The best part is its magical properties. If you ate one of these a day you'll never grow old."

"You're joking."

"No." Ambrose shook his head, "It truly is the fruit of life. I even created an alchemical recipe with it that is a perfect substitute to the elixir of life. I call it Ambrosia."

"That's quite the admission", Sona remarked, "For someone who was so secretive when we first met, you're awfully forthcoming now."

"I don't often get a chance to show off. Besides I did promise to share my secrets with you, didn't I?" Ambrose explained with an easy smile. "Come on, this way." he said with enthusiasm while leading her out of the garden and into the small orchid which housed only a two trees. Sona's eyes were immediately drawn to the large tree filled with familiar pink petals.

"Lovely. It's a Sakura tree, right?" She asked.

Ambrose smiled and shook his head negative. He reached out to a branch, plucked a fruit from it and handed it to her. Sona was surprised at the weight, it was much heavier than she expected. She examined the pink pomegranate shaped fruit, having never seen anything like it before.

"Open it." he encouraged.

Curiously, she broke the husk of the fruit and opened it to see what laid inside. She expected to find seeds similar to the pomegranate, but instead of seeds it was filled with tiny nuggets of…

"It's gold", Sona said in surprise.

"Most alchemists will eventually try to create their own philosopher's stone. A stone capable of transmuting any metal into gold, as well as creating an elixir of life. I've found that when face with a problem it's best to break it up into smaller, more manageable components." Ambrose explained, "So I focused only on transmuting gold and came up with the idea for this tree. It takes nutrients from the ground and will periodically grow fruit bearing gold inside of it."

"You made a tree that grows gold." Sona said in astonishment.

"It's still at the early stages. I want to get it so it naturally shapes the gold into standard and measured gold coins. Maybe I'll even be able to get an emblem on them." He laughed.

"Most people would be thrilled enough just to grow gold on a tree." Sona remarked at she marveled at the sight before her. She never gave much thought into herbalism or botany, but alchemy was the study of relations between science and magic. _'Perhaps I should branch out?'_ She thought privately.

"Well, you should never settle when it comes to your goals." Ambrose replied. "Once you reach a goal you should always set the bar higher in order to reach to new heights."

"Did you actually make a philosopher's stone?" Sona wondered. "Or simply settle for this 'work around' solution to both transmuting gold and creating a meal that's equivalent to the elixir of life?"

"Sort of, but the stone didn't turn out quite like I expected." Ambrose said evasively, "But I made this tree simply because I wanted to know whether or not I could do it. It was never meant for it to become a source of income. You see, for every bit of gold that I transmute, the value of all gold world wide diminishes slightly, gold becomes less rare. The quantity increases thus the price decreases. However, this", he said gesturing to the only other tree in the tiny orchid, "is what I hope to be my real cash crop."

Compared to the pink petal, gold bearing, money tree this new tree looked completely different. It was almost bare, twisted, gnarly, and had a sickly glowing purple scar that ran up the side of the trunk and pulsed with dark energy. From its branches grew a silvery purple fruit that also pulsed with dark energy. Ambrose approached the tree and plucked a fruit from its branches, he held it out for her to briefly inspect before taking a knife and cutting into it. Immediately a thick dark red liquid burst out from the fruit and spilled onto the ground, the smell of iron filled Sona's nostrils.

"It's blood." She exclaimed in horror.

"It's blood plasma." Ambrose clarified, "The juice from this fruit is a perfect blood substitute. With this I hope to one day create an orchid large enough to feed the entire vampire nation."

Sona blinked in surprise and looked at the tree with a new understanding. The implications of this creation was staggering. True, the vampires were a prideful species; more prideful than most devils in fact. They might not want to stop hunting humans. Still, Ambrose could possibly start an enterprising business with the Vampire Nation and become the exclusive provider of artificial blood.

"It took awhile to get it right." Ambrose explained as he reached out and touched the trunk of the twisted tree fondly, "At first the production of fruit was too low in order to be a viable business. So I tweeked things around a bit, got it to grow in the form of a tree, and now its production has greatly improved."

"Does it work?" Sona asked, "Can it satisfy a vampire's thirst?"

"Absolutely", Ambrose replied confidently, "A single fruit is actually more nourishment than a vampire needs. It's why I've been making juices and wines out of the fruit, hoping to stretch it out, find the right balance for an individual vampire's serving. I'll also need to find a vampiric sommelier to help me find a taste that's appealing to a vampire's tongue, but I've already begun production of wines and fruits on a small scale so I can have some samples ready for when I find the right individual. I hope to one day find the right blend of fruits to combine with the plasma fruit in order to create something that tastes even better than human blood."

"Wait. Wine? You're making alcohol?" Sona frowned at him, disapprovingly.

"Well, yes… But for alchemical purposes. The wine made from plasma fruit is only fit for vampires. If you or I were to drink it we'd be sick." Ambrose said, reasoning with her.

Sona glanced back at the garden behind her and recalled seeing a few stalks of grapes. "And you're making wine only for vampires?"

"Well… no." Ambrose said awkwardly while scratching the back of his neck. "I have made wine, brandy, and spirits for non-vampires with other fruit blends, like the life fruit I showed you earlier. But I put it immediately into barrels for aging. At this time the oldest wines and spirits have only been aging for two years, so it's not yet fit for drinking."

"And how do you know it'll taste good?" Sona pressed.

"Look, I spent my childhood in France where drinking wine is as common as drinking water. That doesn't mean I drink every day nor do I set out to get drunk when I enjoy a glass, it simply means that I take wine making very seriously. When I make a new wine blend, I take a taste test and then barrel it up for aging. The wine I make won't be fit for consumption for at least 10 years. That is when I believe my wine and spirits will be aged enough to be properly consumed, and by then I'll be old enough to enjoy it. The oldest barrels I've made still need to be aged for at least 8 more years. Besides it's more for business purposes than personal consumption; if I ever get a large enough property I might start a set up for a larger distribution, but for now production is very small in scale. Getting a license to create a magical property of any kind is very difficult and expensive. The land required to make a magical plantation is very large indeed. You wouldn't believe how much it cost me to get a license for this bit of land in order to move my home into." Ambrose emphatically said.

Sona let the issue go, it wasn't as if she never had a glass of wine for dinner. It was quite customary to do so, in fact. However, the part of her that was student council president frowned at the idea of anyone underage drinking. Still, Ambrose definitely seemed to be the entrepreneurial type; indeed her new fiance appeared to be quite ambitious.

"Think there would be a market in the underworld for aged wine and brandy made from life fruit?" Ambrose asked.

"Wine made from one of the forbidden fruits from The Garden of Eden?" Sona asked, then answered with some amusement, "I think you'd be overwhelmed at how much a devil might pay for such a thing."

"Especially if a single glass a day could keep you young." Ambrose remarked with a smile, "I may have to expand my business market out to the underworld."

"Is that why I'm here, to help expand your business clientele?" Sona teased.

"No", Ambrose said becoming more serious all of a sudden, "Not at all. What you're here for is in my lab..." His thoughts trailed off for a moment. "We could go there now if you want?"

"Yes, let's" Sona replied. _"Business before pleasure."_ She thought to herself as she marveled at the wonders this magical garden held. This magical garden of his really held such marvels, and she couldn't help but be curious as to what else her new fiance had in store for her.

She then noticed a somber look on Ambrose's face as he lead her to the fountain in the center of his backyard. The carefree smile he normally held was gone. Sona felt a pit of apprehension grow in the bottom of her stomach as sense of unease filled her with trepidation of what was to come.

"The gateway to my laboratory lies within the fountain." Ambrose suddenly said and immediately a magical reaction took place within the fountain. The water within the fountain drained, stairs formed around it, and from the water rose four spires that were 8 feet tall. They curved in, so that they were pointing at one another, like a smooth metal four fingered hand closing in on itself.

"What is this?" Sona asked.

"The gateway to my laboratory." Ambrose replied as he took out his pocket watch and pressed the button on top. Immediately a light rose up from the center of what he called the gateway and shot straight up into the sky, like a great beacon in the night. Although she couldn't sense any holy energy from it, as a devil she was naturally wary of light and light based magic. "It's a magical transport which will take us to my laboratory. I'm afraid it's the only way to get there."

"Ambrose", she said trying to hide her unease, "You want me to go with you, into the light?"

"It's alright", he said as he stepped up to the threshold of this great magical skylight. His hand reach down to her beckoning her to take it and follow him through the portal. "It won't hurt you. I won't let anything hurt you, Sona. I promise."

While his smile was still absent, his eyes still held the same kindness she had first come to know with Maō Lucifer. His voice sounded so reassuring Sona could tell he truly believed that he could keep his promise, and for some reason she believed him as well. She reached out and he gently grasped her hand, helping her up to the beacon.

"I trust you." Sona said, slightly surprised to find out that her words were indeed true. "I don't know why, but I trust you."

"This isn't an act of trust on your part." Ambrose said pulling their bodies close together. Sona felt her heart begin to race within her chest, though she couldn't tell if it from the closeness of their bodies or from the adrenaline preparing her for her jump into the unknown.

"This, all of this, is me showing you how much trust I have in you." Ambrose said while wrapping his arms around her waist.

And with that they both disappeared into the light, a pulse swelled up within the beacon and shot up into the sky.


	4. Prequel Chapter 3

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Being engulfed by light was a terrifying experience for any devil to endure since light is a devil's inherent natural weakness. It was only the feeling of Ambrose's hand that helped keep Sona's fear in check as she was being magically transported… somewhere. Sona had been magically transported many times before, but this was an entirely new sensation.

She was more used to the cool and comforting blue glow of the Sitri clan family magic which normally transported her, and those associated with her clan, to wherever it was they needed to go. The act of transporting with the Sitri family magic would gently phase the world around her and she would instantly move from one place to another. This felt like a roaring rapid which surged loudly around her; the world seemed to have been violently torn away and she was left in the vacuum of its explosive passing. She was blind to everything around her, the sound was deafening and it culminated to a final point where it suddenly ended and Sona felt herself unceremoniously dumped on her rear end.

She kept her eyes tightly closed as she instinctively rubbed her sore bottom until that damned bright light finally shut off and she could once again think and see clearly. Sona looked up, blinking away the bright spots as her vision slowly returned to her, only to see Ambrose standing in front of her. His hand was outstretched in an offer to help her up, and behind him was that infernal magical transport. She was annoyed to see that he was remarkably unaffected by their frightening trip.

"Takes a bit to get used to." Ambrose remarked, still holding his hand out to help her up, "How do you feel?"

"A bit sick, to be honest" She replied, still annoyed that he seemed to be unaffected by the journey. "This better not have been a prank." She warned as she reached out and accepted his helping hand.

"I never joke about my work." Ambrose replied as he gazed out over her shoulder, "Look, there."

She turned around and first thing Sona noticed about her surroundings was that the sun was high in the sky. It was particularly jarring considering it was late in the evening just a moment ago. "Just where have you taken me?" She wondered aloud, curious as to how far they traveled.

Her eyes then widened at where she now found herself. Sona realized that they both stood on the flat roof of a large building. She then noticed the building they stood on was on the outskirts of a small country town that sprawled out before her. The town, itself, was small, sparsely populated, and gave off the impression that it was struggling, or perhaps it never fully took off. It was nestled on the side of a mountain and was built around a large man made pond, or possibly a small lake. The buildings were quite rustic, old, and at various stages of disrepair as if they had been made and patched up over many years. There were no cars, or vehicles of any kind as far as she could tell. The streets were made of dirt and gravel; she also noticed they were lined with electric street lamps that appeared to be fashioned from materials from a junk yard. The entire town was very rural, and clearly focused on agriculture judging by the large farms which lay further away from the mountain and lake center of the town.

"Ambrose, where are we?" She insistingly questioned again.

"We are in the town of Oasis." He replied, "However a more appropriate question is 'When are we?'."

She was almost afraid to ask for clarification. "When?"

"It is noon on June 21st, the Summer Solstice, and we are currently 500 years into the future."

"What?", Sona asked in disbelief.

"Congratulations Sona, you're now a time traveler." Ambrose said with far more enthusiasm than Sona felt was appropriate.

"This is no time for jokes." Sona insisted, not believing what he was saying could be true.

"I'm not joking." He seriously replied. "Look out to the horizon, beyond the town. Tell me what you see."

Sona was getting sick of his game; never the less she peered out, gazing past the buildings and farms and saw nothing. The trees and green grass seemed to form a distinctive barrier around the town and beyond it was nothing but desert and a mirage of water that reached out towards the visible horizon. "A desert." She observed.

"The wasteland," Ambrose corrected, "You could walk out and not come across a single settlement or person until you crossed the entire globe and reentered this town from the other side. This is the only town on the entire planet. It's people are the only ones on the entire Earth."

"This can't be true. Why? Why did you bring me here?" She asked, panic rising in her tone of voice.

"It is true, and I brought you here to help me. I need your help to change the future. To prevent this catastrophe from ever happening in the first place." Ambrose explained in a tone that would be more appropriate if he had asked her help in some mundane task.

" _Changing the future?"_ Sona thought to herself, _"He sounds as if he were a classmate asking me to help him with his homework!"_

"Change the future? How, how can I possibly help with this?" She exclaimed, gesturing out to the new world that lay before her.

"Please, allow me explain from the beginning." Ambrose said, inviting her inside the building on which they now stood.

* * *

Sona sat at a dining room table inside the building they were previously standing on. Ambrose has said this was his home and laboratory for when he was here in the future and that it was hidden by wards so the townsfolk couldn't actually see it.

The home was built higher up the mountain than the town was, and was designed and decorated in an ultra-modern fashion; as if it were made by someone who envisioned what a technological future home was suppose to look like. It was a strange combination of glass, concrete, and at the same time it seemed to have small indoor arboretums at various points in which plants and trees freely grew from one floor to the next. There was even a small stream that ran under the clear glass floor which covered part of the ground floor as well as two indoor man made ponds with fish in it. Its beauty, however, was lost on Sona as she stared morosely into her cup of tea. She sat, looking into her cup, not moving an inch, not drinking from it. Yet she held on to it as if it could some how provide her comfort.

She felt as if her entire world had come crashing down around her.

Ambrose sat opposite of her, holding his own cup of tea. "Where to begin is difficult when you're dealing with traveling in time. I'm not sure where the beginning is or when, so I'm just going to start talking and if you have questions, please feel free to ask them."

Sona didn't reply, but did start to take a few sips of her tea.

"Like most alchemists, I wanted to create a hidden laboratory.", Ambrose began. "Some place I could work completely undisturbed. I couldn't seem to get any peace after I created the cure for lycanthropy. Most people correctly assumed I would start creating my own philosopher's stone and they began to ceaselessly hound me. Some begging me not to attempt it, fearful that I would crash the economy. Others because they thought I would not only attempt it, but be successful in creating it. They harassed me constantly, eager to ingratiate themselves to me with flattery, empty promises, even marriage proposals."

Sona choked a bit on her tea at that remark.

Ambrose didn't seem to notice, or perhaps he didn't feel the need to comment on her reaction as he continued. "It was quite maddening. I struggled and searched for an ideal place where I would be left alone to work in peace."

"Then one day, in a moment of inspiration, I came up with an idea; the perfect place to build my laboratory. Some where hidden so that people not only would not find it, but could not find it. I decided to build and hide my lab 'in time'. Specifically, in the future. And so I decided to do just that and build my time machine."

"Just like that?" Sona asked, as she looked at him in disbelief. "You just decided to build a time machine and did so just like that?"

"Just like that." Ambrose confirmed with a nod. "It wasn't as hard as it seems. I created the laboratory in the past, our present I mean. I hid it, so it would spring forth after a certain time had past. The hard part was to create a bridge from our present to the future."

"And just how did you do that? How did you create this time bridge?" Sona asked him incredulously.

"Well, I began with the delicate task of tracking retro-causality particles that move backwards in time and then used their trajectory to formulate their possible origin, thus finding a pathway to the future." Ambrose began to explain with remarkable ease, as if he were explaining how to build kite.

"Tracking these particles with magic as they move into the past is the standard way most magically inclined individuals use to create devices that travel to the past. Though that method only allows for one to travel back in time a few hours and forces the individual to move forward in time 'The old fashioned way'."

"I, however, also used their trajectory to track where they came from, not just where they were going to, and thus I could get an idea on where the future was headed. I then created two devices. The gate we left from, which tracks where these particles originate from in order to travel forward in time; and the gate we just arrived at, which measures where these particles are headed to, in order to travel back in time. I then sealed them up in an underground bunker, on a small, magically hidden plot of land. After 500 years the gate which travels back to the past activated and sent its linked counterpart gate, which travels to the future, 500 years into the past. Thus effectively creating a bridge from one point of time to another."

Sona blink at his explanation and tried to digest every bit of what he just said. Magically traveling a few hours into the past was rare, but wasn't unheard of. The devices used to do so were in scarce supply and their use was strictly controlled, regulated, and in most magical societies 'forbidden' so as not to cause a paradox. She prided herself on her intelligence but this was something else entirely. It wasn't as if she couldn't understand the concept of what he just said but to come up with such an incredible method to travel in time was on a completely different level than she was used to. Not to mention traveling in the future was unheard of and rumored to be impossible. Quite honestly sounded so incredible that it just might work.

"When I first traveled into the future I was horrified to discover the state that world was in. This town didn't exist then, nothing did. There were no buildings, no vegetation, no people at all. Only the wasteland and the creatures that now rule the world." Ambrose continued.

"Creatures?" Sona questioned.

"Mindless beasts that roam the wasteland. Monsters, evil-dragons, and things that are far more terrifying. They feed and scavenge off each other in a gruesome carnivorous perversion of the circle of life." Ambrose explained. "At first I refused to believe it, I thought I had fell into another world, perhaps even Hell itself. However, the hope that this wasn't Earth was soon extinguished as I astronomically verified the position of the stars and planets to confirm that this was indeed Earth and I had, in fact, traveled 500 years into the future."

"What happened? How did this happen?" Sona begged for more answers.

"That was the problem. I didn't know, not at first." Ambrose answered and continued his tale, "Seeing how I couldn't ignore state of the world I set out into the wasteland, searching for answers. I searched for years, decades, perhaps even a century or two. Not only to look for clues but to train my body in order to learn how to fight these fiends. I thought that if I could become stronger than all the creatures in this time period that I could go back to our time period and some how stop them as they appeared. However, I soon realized that this approach would be like bringing a sludge hammer to a surgical operation; I needed to act with precision. It would do no good to anyone if I had the power to defeat these things as they appeared if I couldn't figure out when they would appeared."

Ambrose paused for a bit and took a sip of his tea. "You must understand that this is a puzzle, or like a game of chess. Only in this game 'when' you move your piece is far more important than 'where' you move your piece. I remained in this terrible future, searching the wasteland in order to find the source of the catastrophe. I used my experience in archaeology to search for ancient signs of conflict or battles which had long since passed, but even then I could only learn so much. Carbon dating isn't an exact science, it couldn't provide me with the exact date of when the world died and was taken over by monsters."

"You used your alchemical life fruit recipe, Ambrosia, in order to stay young, didn't you? It's why you're still a teenager." Sona reasoned. "Didn't you say you also created a stone of your own? Why have both?"

Ambrose sighed and took a sip of his tea. "It is true, I have attempted to create my own philosopher's stone, and in that attempt I was partially successful. I did create a stone, and it does transmute metal to gold. In fact it transmutes anything into gold. A fact in which makes it extremely dangerous as it can kill its user and turn them into a solid gold statue. However, it doesn't create an elixir of life, instead its secondary ability is far more... strange. Instead of creating an elixir of life it summons the souls of the dead."

' _That was unexpected'_ Sona thought in surprise. "You can summon the souls of the dead?"

"Yes," Ambrose admitted, "But there are limitations to the stone's abilities. For instance, I can't just summon any old soul, or any historical figure I'd like to have a chat with. I can only summon someone I actually know, someone whom I've met before; I need to know their name. Even then the ghost can exist on this plane for only 3 hours. Also, souls who've remained dead too long seem to start to lose a bit of themselves."

"What do you mean?" Sona asked, seeking further clarification.

"Well, ghost tend to forget things the more time they're dead." Ambrose began to explain as if he were a teacher educating a student. "Also, it seems after too long the stone is unable to summon them. I believe it has to do with some sort of tenuous ethereal grasp between ghosts and the land of the living. There's no set time period between when a person dies and when the stone is unable to summon them. But souls who have a reason to stay, or have people who remember them here on earth, are are abled to be summoned rather than souls who have nothing on Earth to return to."

"That does make a certain amount of sense." Sona said while thinking things through. "A lot of cultures place an importance on remembering their loved ones that have passed on. Perhaps that kind of emotional bond is more of an actual connection that allows the dead to be able to be summoned in the first place."

"That's exactly what I thought." Ambrose said, pleased they both followed the same line of reasoning. "What's most interesting is that when I feed Ambrosia to a summoned ghost, that individual comes back to life."

"You're Raising The Dead?!" Sona loudly exclaimed. _"_ _I know devils can do it, but it's forbidden magic for sorcerers."_

"I don't make a habit of it, and during my study of magic through the centuries I've discovered many different ways to bring people back to life. Humans are the easiest, as it only takes a few light based spells. Devils are particularly tricky since I can't use the same method as I would a human, but with both my stone and Ambrosia it's quite possible to restore and bring back to life just about being, so long as I'm able to summon their soul. Ambrosia is by far my favorite method to not only sustain life, but return it to someone. Who knew that Life Fruit held such properties? Well, a combination Life Fruit and Death Fish" Ambrose confessed.

"Death Fish?" Sona asked.

"A particularly poisonous fish that magically appears in cursed graveyards after midnight", Ambrose replied. "Some of the most powerful magic known is the combination of both light and dark forces."

"And you eat this food made with a poisonous fish called Death Fish?", Sona incredulously asked.

"It's no different than blow fish, I believe the Japanese consider such a poisonous fish a delicacy, and it's perfectly safe so long as the chef knows what he's doing." Ambrose reasoned. "I've made this dish a thousand times, so believe me when I say I know how to prepare it correctly. It's actually quite delicious and leaves you feeling quite confident in yourself for about a week after you eat it, as you'll soon find out."

"You expect me to eat this poisonous fish dish?" Sona asked with a sense of surprise and horror at the implication that she wouldn't be returning home soon.

"You'll have to, if you're going to stay here for any extended amount of time." Ambrose said, as if they were taking a vacation.

"I can't stay here!" Sona loudly argued, "I have to go back. My peerage will surely report that I'm missing."

"When we return back through the gate, only seconds will have passed from when we left. We could stay here for years, or even centuries and still return as if only seconds have passed. But right now it's 500 years in the future and your peerage isn't looking for you. They're all dead. All Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels are extinct. The only form of sentient life that remains on either world are the humans who live in this town." said Ambrose.

"I don't need this or your damned magical food!" Sona cried out, refusing to believe that everyone she knew and loved were gone, "Devils are strong, we live extraordinarily long lives. Thousands; tens of thousands of years! They're all still alive, waiting for me in the Underworld." Sona yelled as she stood up. _'This is all just too much'_ She thought to herself. _'_ _It can't be true.'_

"The Underworld is in far worse shape than this one." Ambrose remarked. "Many, if not all of the creatures that live in this world are ones that have 'spilled over' from the Underworld. As frightening as this world is, the state of the Underworld is much worse. The creatures that now rule the Underworld are far more dangerous and terrible than any creature you'll find here on Earth in this time period. However, I need you to calm down. I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't have some sort of plan to change the future."

Ambrose was really starting to piss her off. Sona's entire world, everything she knew had been turned upside down by the person in front of her and his casual declaration of the end of life as she knew it was almost too much for her to handle. Sona took a deep breath and sat back down; she was still unable to fully calm herself.

"How do you plan to change the future?" Sona demanded in a tone which expressed her disbelieve that the very idea, let alone act of accomplishing such a thing was impossible.

"Well..." Ambrose began as he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "After many years I came up with a rather ingenious idea to try to discover not only what happened, but when and how it happened. Instead of a laboratory that would appear in time, I decided to ward off a much larger area that would appear in under the correct circumstances. Specifically when I estimated when this catastrophe would begin. It took many years to transmute all the materials that I would need in order to accomplish this feat, but once it was done I went back to the past, our present. I spent nearly all the money I had ever made to purchase a very large area of land that could provide clean water, raw materials, and most importantly the safety humans would need in order to survive. I then went about creating markers that would appear at the time I estimated this calamity would begin. The markers would provide instructions and direction to this hidden sanctuary I had created in order to safely house the survivors. I even disguised my work as if I were a future telling soothsayer who saw a vision of the future and made preparations." Ambrose chuckled to himself, "It seemed better than claiming I was a time traveler."

Sona digested this bit of information. "That's how this town was built." She realized. "You created a safe environment for people to live in as well as instructions on how to get here so when you came back to the future there would be survivors."

"Exactly!" Ambrose excitedly said, pleased that she was starting to understand how temporal causality worked. "I returned to the future to find a quaint little village, bustling with only a handful of survivors. The village was something straight out of the dark ages. The people lived incredibly simplistic lives, they had no electricity, no running water or indoor plumbing; they couldn't even read or write. Never the less, I had successfully changed the future to save a handful of people and found myself in the presence of their descendants. Unfortunately humans are, and have remained, superstitious and mostly ignorant to that which is supernatural. They didn't really know what had happened or how it happened, only that something terrible had happened long ago. They were safely hidden within the town and quite content to remain in it as the wards protected them from the creatures outside. I continued to travel back and forth in time, making small changes here and there. Changes like making the markers and sanctuary appear sooner in time in order to allow more survivors a chance to arrive. I also created more markers, putting them as close as I could to what I believe to be possible 'ground zero' locations to the event which caused all of this. This was my attempt to fine tune the whole thing in order to save as many people as I could in hopes to get a clearer picture of what happened. Each time I made a changes and came back to the future I began to notice small changes that happened in the timeline and the town itself."

"Small changes, like what?" Sona questioned.

Ambrose continued his story, his tea forgotten as he was caught up in his tale. "Well every time I gave survivors more time to arrive in the past the population of the future would increase slightly. Eventually that evened out to a point where it didn't matter how soon I caused this sanctuary to appear, the population of the town wouldn't increase any further."

"I also began to noticed that each time I came back to the future meant that different people survived the catastrophe; different genes are then passed on to different people in different variations, creating different decedents. Someone you meet in the future now isn't necessarily someone who's going to exist when you next travel to the future."

"Back and forth I traveled; however, I couldn't find a definitive answer as to what caused all of this nor when it actually began. My closest estimates of when it happened was based on when I allowed the sanctuary and markers to appear, using the population of the town as a measuring tool of success. However that could only tell me when things got really bad and began to affect the non-supernatural world. It couldn't tell me the starting point for all of it, the source of it all."

"The biggest clue I ever got was when I created an archive of knowledge for the survivors and their decedents to use and learn from. The town has never had any technology since the first instance of its creation. It seemed such a shame that the sum of human knowledge would be lost to time, so I collected an archive of books in the past so that people of the future would have something to read and something they could learn from. I also created a special magical ward stone to provide a power source that could be used as a source of electricity. When I arrived back in the future I discovered that they used this knowledge." Ambrose excitedly said, as if he were a parent proud of his children's accomplishments. "There's rudimentary electricity in their houses, indoor plumbing, and even a library which they used to archive their own experiences. Not a very high level technology, closer to the early stages of the 1900's. They'll also need crude oil to make plastics in order to build computers and such, something which isn't available within this geographical region. They do have a mine within the mountain that they use for raw ore and coal. Still, the library they had was very useful and the personal accounts of the survivors written down began to shed a little light on what happened."

"Go on" Sona encouraged, fascinated by his tale. She felt she was finally beginning to follow along and grasp the basic concepts of manipulating time.

Ambrose continued his story, "I was in the library, searching for records and recounts of how survivors found this town and their experiences of life outside of it. The local librarian took an interest in my research and asked if I needed help. I explained to her that I was writing a culmination of what had transpired and what life was like before everything changed. I was looking for more details from survivors and wanted to know more about how the world came to the point it was now in. It was then she said the most incredible thing. She told me I should ask the witch of the wasteland."

"Witch of the wasteland?" Sona asked, as if such a concept was ridiculous.

"The librarian said that the witch of the wasteland was a first hand survivor of the devastation of the old world. She said the witch came to Oasis, guiding the very last group of survivors that would ever arrive from the wasteland. However, the witch was horribly wounded, the survivors she brought with her had to practically carry her here. Still, she was lucid enough to help them find the markers which allowed them to find their way here to Oasis. When they arrived, the other survivors nursed her and all of the other wounded back to health, or as much as they could given their own limited supplies and abilities. However, as time passed, people began to grow suspicious of her. They began noticing that they aged while she did not. They had children who were born, grew old, and died; yet she did not. The town suspected that she had become infected by something in the wasteland, something unnatural. They never forgot how she lead some of their ancestors to the safety of Oasis, but she was obviously not one of them."

Sona knew that humans could be like that and that they often shunned those who were different. They could unconsciously sense the supernatural power that resided in individuals, sometimes when the individuals themselves weren't aware of their own power. **[Sacred Gear]** wielders, like Saji, were born with a hidden power and often didn't form close attachments to others when they're young. They didn't know why they were different, or that they were different at all; they only knew that they were alone. She believed it was why Saji was so eager to please since he joined the Student Council; he finally felt like he had a place to belong.

Ambrose paused to take a sip of his tea, frowning that it had gone cold. Dissatisfied with it, he set it aside and continued his tale. "They didn't banish her, not completely. They simply cast her out to the borders of the town and the edge of the wasteland where she continued to live alone for centuries. By the time I had arrived she was merely a folk tale, a legend. Something parents used to scare their children into behaving, living in a house that teenagers dared one another to disturb as a test of their courage."

"To me, she was already a miracle." Ambrose said with a fond smile. "I immediately rushed over to meet this person. I was so excited could barely contain myself. Finally, a survivor. Someone who might have a first hand account of what happened, and a possibly fellow magical too! I set out to find her house, and once I did I marched straight up to her door and knocked on it. I received no reply."

By this point Sona had forgotten about her tea, she had forgotten about her earlier bout of anger and frustration. She was completely engrossed in this tale.

"I knocked again, calling out to her. 'Madam', I said, 'My name is Ambrose and I have come a long way to speak with you. Please open the door.' I implored."

"'Go away, and never return', replied a raspy voice from within the old house."

"I could not accept such a reply. 'I will not', I shouted back at her. 'It is extremely important that we speak at once.'"

"' **Go Away And Never Return!'** , the voice inside yelled back with an obvious amplified magical voice."

"I was so excited" Ambrose told Sona with an amused laugh. "Not only was she a survivor, but she did indeed possessed magic. I magically amplified my own voice in return and released my magical aura to show her I was not someone that would be so easily dismissed. **'Madam'** , I shouted back, **'You'll have to do better than that if you wish to persuade me to leave.'** "

"I was met with silence, and for a moment nothing happened." Ambrose recounted. "And just before I was about to speak again the door slowly opened and I saw her for the first time. She was indeed horribly disfigured with scars that obviously covered most of her body. Her left eye was missing, as well as her left hand. Her left arm was also mangled and curled in on itself; she walked with a limp and with great difficulty."

"'Who are you?', she asked me."

"I told her my name, and said that I was a sorcerer, an alchemist, and a time traveler. That I was the one who warded this land and created the markers which lead the people here. She didn't believe me."

"'Nonsense', she said and with a yell of 'Get Lost' she sent a magical blast at me that would have sent me straight back into town and into the lake had I not put up a magical shield to protect myself. She was astonished that I had countered her attack and that I did not retaliate. And for awhile, we both stood there staring at one another saying absolutely nothing; her inside of her house and me standing at the threshold."

"She then invited me in for tea." Ambrose said, with an amused smile.

Sona chuckled at that, the story was becoming more and more interesting as it went on. "What then?" She asked, eager to hear more.

"She wanted to know what I wanted and why I was bothering her in the first place. I explained the situation as best I could as we sat across one another drinking our tea. It took a long time, many hours in fact. She asked many questions, testing my knowledge of a time period that had long since passed from her point of view. By the time I finished my tale and told her what I needed our tea had grown quite cold."

"'You must be pretty smart', she told me. 'Let's make a deal. If you can beat me in a game of chess I'll tell you everything you want to know. If not, then I'll know you're lying and you'll leave with out complaint."

Sona's eyes widened, her face grew pale and her mouth opened in astonishment as pieces suddenly fell into place. _"_ _It couldn't be"_ , she thought.

"By the end of the game, I had beaten her", Ambrose said, ignoring her discomfort. "And when I did she told me the most incredible thing. She said that she wasn't a witch at all. That she was, in fact, a devil. And that her name was Sona Sitri."

"Me?" Sona asked in disbelief, "You met me, here in the future?"

"A future version of you, yes" Ambrose clarified.

"Am I here now?" Sona asked and looked around as if she expected her counterpart to suddenly walk down the hall. "Is **she** here now?"

"No, you can't be in two places at once." Ambrose said and began to explain. "The version of you that I had met on that day lived through the entire disaster. By absconding with you in the past I've effectively altered the future. This is the future where you met a young alchemist, went over to his house and then disappeared, never to be seen again… at least until 500 years later."

"Why me? If you got your answers then why bring me here at all?" Sona asked, frustrated that the only answers she seemed to get raised more questions.

"Because the events which cause all of this are centered around you and around Kuoh Academy." Ambrose explained. "From our point in time, in less than two months the war between Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels will begin anew and the very first battle that reignites the war happens at your school."

Sona felt as if the ground from under her had collapsed. "It's can't be true."

"You don't have to take my word for it." Ambrose remarked, "We made recordings of your first hand experience of what will happen in the future."

"What?" Sona asked in surprise.

"This house is not only warded to ensure that the locals don't see it, but also to ensure that changes in the timeline don't affect it. In essence, changes to this house do not affect the timeline, nor do changes in the timeline affect this house." Ambrose explained.

"And how exactly did you accomplish that?" She questioned. _"This is all too much, it's impossible, it has to be."_

"To put it simply, those retro-causality particles I mention that travel backwards through time also travel physically through everything. By studying the motions of these particles and how they interact with solid objects I was able to design wards which allows the particles to flow around the property, rather than through it. Sort of like how an airplane wing channels air in the study of aerodynamics." Ambrose explained to her.

Sona had to give him credit. While he said the most insane and impossible things, he also had an uncanny ability to take the most complex ideas and put them into terms that were easy to understand. Through this entire explanation of his, he answered every one of her questions with out being _too_ overly complex. As someone who loved learning and constantly sought to learn new things she could appreciate his ability to break things down into smaller understandable concepts. It was a trait many of her best teachers and private tutors had shared.

"The recordings are archived here so that you and I can review them at our leisure in order to better prepare ourselves for what's to come." Ambrose said, sitting back in his chair and looking more unburdened now that the bulk of his tale had finished. "Also you, that is your counterpart, made a recording just for you. A letter to her past self, as it were."

Sona's mind reeled at the thought. _'My future self recorded a message to me?'_

The idea was far fetched, yet for some reason she could barely wait to see it. It was from her to her. As absurd as that sounded, part of her held hope that it would show her something familiar to anchor herself to since her entire world had been turned upside down since she arrived in the future.

"Why don't we take a break?" Ambrose offered. They had been sitting there for several hours already. "I can show you to your room and you can view your 'message in a bottle' while I prepare dinner."

Sona nodded in reply and followed Ambrose to what was to be her room for the foreseeable future.

" _Future"_ , she thought sardonically, _"I've just about had enough of that."_

Sona paid no attention to her surroundings as she accompanied Ambrose up the stairs, her mind was too focused on the problems had been laid before her over the past few hours. The thought of food did sound appealing, it had been awhile since she ate, _'It's been 500 years since I ate'_.

This whole time travel business was starting to get to her and she felt like needed something familiar in order to ground herself so that she could get her bearings. Unfortunately, the room she now found herself in offered nothing of the sort. She had hoped to find something familiar in the room of her former self, _'Future self? My counterpart?'_ She thought. _"Maō, this time travel business can sure mess with your head."_

As far as rooms went, it was a nice clean room. It held a large king sized bed, a dresser she assumed had clothes in it, as well as her own private full bathroom attached to a small indoor bamboo garden. It held the same ultra-modern theme going through the rest of the house and was tastefully decorated with many plants, which made her feel that the outdoors had been brought inside.

Sona sat on the bed and looked outside as the setting sun illuminated the entire room in an orange glow. The entire bedroom wall that faced outside was one large window. The house, itself was elevated on the mountain, so she could see the entire quaint rural town begin to settle down for the night. The street lamps began to flicker on, though they didn't shine as bright as the LED lamps that lit the streets of Kuoh. There were no cars, but she did see a few bicycles and some even held small carts on the back to move around a modest amount of supplies. It also appeared there was a small steam locomotive and rail road tracks to move crops and people around the town.

She began to marvel at the town and how it was created. _"A town created by the manipulation of time."_ , she mused privately to herself.

She continued to puzzle over all the information given to her, wondering if there was something she could actually contribute to the enormous task that was presented to her. As frustrating as all of this was, she wouldn't… couldn't just ignore it. Had she remained ignorant, her entire life would have been capsized in a few months and her future would have brought her to this ignoble end. Her dreams of creating a school would remain unfulfilled and she would have to endure centuries of loneliness on the outskirts of this town. _"At least until Ambrose knocked on my door.",_ she startlingly thought as she remembered her counterpart and the note left for her.

She began look around for the letter from her future self, until she saw the glare of light reflected off of a DVD that was propped up against one of her pillows. There was a sticky note attached to it with the words "Play Me" written in her own handwriting.

Sona then grabbed the disc, and went to the flat screen which was mounted on the wall over the dresser. On the dresser she found the remote and DVD player. She turned the power on, inserted the disc and pressed play.

Her own face appeared on the screen before her. She wasn't scarred nor was she missing an eye or a limb. Instead, her face was still young, but had matured slightly with age. Sona couldn't help but smile as she saw that her future self's breasts were slightly bigger than her own. No where near the behemoths of Rias and Akeno, but a respectful size she felt she could be happy with.

"Hello Sona", her counterpart smiled from the screen. "If you're seeing this than Ambrose has delivered once again on one of his fantastic and seemingly impossible promises. When I first met him I was highly skeptical of his fanciful tales of time traveling; however, I've come to learn to expect the impossible from him during the many years we've spent together."

"I must admit, I'm a little envious of you and the journey you're about to take. For a very long time I lived with out hope." She said, her tone turning somber for a moment. "I lived with out a lot of things till Am-chan came along."

" _Am-chan?"_ , Sona thought, her eyes widening in surprise.

"By now he's probably told you of what's to come. How the three factions are about to go to war in a few months time and things get really bad. To be honest, they get even worse. After the three factions almost annihilate each other a fourth faction, the Khaos Brigade then steps in and well... I won't get into too many details over this recording, as I've already told and recorded that story. You probably haven't gotten around to it yet, but my accounts of what happened are the whole reason you're here."

"However, this recording isn't about all that. I made this message for you, for me, for us." future Sona clarified on the screen, "Maō, this time travel business can sure mess with your head."

Sona couldn't help but laugh a little bit at her counter part, she had just thought the same thing only moments ago.

"As I was saying," Future Sona continued, "I'm a little envious of you, but also hopeful. I hope the two of you are going to change the future, so you can live out the dreams I never saw realized. You're going to save the world, Sona. Both you and Ambrose. And while the two of you are off changing the future I couldn't help but think 'Why should they have all the fun?'. So with that in mind, I decided to do a little changing of the future on my own."

Sona's eyes widened again in surprise, wondering what she, Future-Sona, had planned.

"He's pretty good at chess, don't you think?" her counterpart remarked casually from the television screen. "When we first played against one another I thought I was a bit rusty. I didn't get many challengers when I was the 'Witch of the Wasteland'. But no, I hadn't lost my touch, and he's a truly excellent player. It took me a few years, but I've managed to beat him a number of times in return." Future Sona smiled, as if remembering a fond memory. "We play each other often for favors or when we need to settle a disagreement. The winner gets a favor from the loser. He wins more often than not, but I've come to enjoy losing to him and giving my favors in return." Future Sona winked at her.

" _Oh. My. Maō."_ Sona thought as the implications of what her future self said registered.

"But he doesn't know." Her counterpart said as if revealing a big secret. "When he and I play one another, it's for favors. That's why he played and beat you when you first met him, so that he could get you alone and convince you to come here. I told him to. I told him that it was the fasted way to get you to trust him. He thought he was winning a favor from you. He doesn't know what it means to beat you. But we both know, don't we Sona?"

" _I have been betrayed"_ , Sona astonishingly thought, _"I have betrayed myself."_

"It's a bit selfish of me, sure." Future Sona admitted while giving a small shrug on screen. "But I think I'm allowed to be a bit selfish since you're me and I'm going to be living vicariously through you. So please forgive me for this indulgence. I'm only trying to ensure our happiness."

" _Betrayal"_ , echoed in Sona's mind as she watched her future self.

"And he will make you happy, Sona. He made me quite happy when I thought I could never be happy again. He found me, picked me up, and put me back together. Quite literally, actually", her future self commented as she flexed her left hand and fingers rather dexterously on the screen.

"He loves you, you know?" Her future self teased. "That is, he and I both fell in love with one another. He won't tell you, at least I don't think he will. He'll want you to choose, to have the right to choose, who you fall in love with. Ambrose feels that if he told you the truth about us you might feel obligated or pressured into feeling something you don't want or aren't ready for. So, if you're going to be mad at someone for setting the two of you up to be engaged, be mad at me."

" _Easy for you to say."_ Sona couldn't help but think at her counterpart's actions.

"You may want to keep it a secret from him though, just for a while." Future Sona suggested. "It'll come in handy for when you find out Ambrose has kept a secret or two from you. It's not that he does it on purpose, it's more of an 'Oh yeah, I can do that impossible thing. What's the big deal?'. It's quite maddening in fact, probably a byproduct of his **[Sacred Gear]**." Her future self paused in thought.

" _Wait, what?_ _ **[Sacred Gear]**_ _?"_ Sona thought in surprise.

Ambrose never mentioned anything about wielding **[Sacred Gear]** , and to be honest it was a huge and now only check-mark in the list of the 'Not Millicas' column in her mind. In fact, having **[Sacred Gear]** pretty much killed the argument that he was the son of Maō Lucifer since pure-blood devils couldn't have **[Sacred Gear]** s. Only humans were born with **[Sacred Gear]** s; the only way a devil could have them is if a human who wielded one had been turned into a devil. But Millicas Gremory was born a devil, a high class pure-blood devil and the offspring of the current Maō Lucifer and his Queen who were both pure-blood devils. Sure, the Lucifuge clan wasn't one of the original 72 pillars of devil society, but Grayfia Lucifuge, Millicas's mother, was a pure-blooded devil. That was a fact.

Her counterpart, Future-Sona, continued her monologue on the television screen. "Ambrose is honest though, and he'll tell you anything you'll ask of him. He's like that with me, but it sometimes doesn't occur to him to tell me things. He won't hide anything, and if it's something important and relevant he'll share it freely. I once asked him 'How many different ways are there to become immortal?' At first he said three, then he said six. By the end of the day he said twelve, though he wouldn't tell me all of them as he said they were too dark. I honestly think he invented a few of them on the spot."

"He once told me it was because he was raised by a mind reader named Gargamel who first taught him alchemy. Ambrose had to learn how to hide his thoughts from an early age, so he learned how to hide his own secrets from even himself. But enough about Am-chan, I'm sure the two of you will have a lot of time to get to know each other better."

" _Because I'm so looking forward to that"_ Sona sarcastically thought.

It wasn't as if she hated Ambrose, in fact she was enjoying "The Big Date" immensely before the whole time travel bit that sent her entire world spinning. However, during the his whole explanation, she couldn't help but feel like he flirted with her just to get her in his time machine. She felt taken advantage of, and it probably influenced how she just acted around him as he told his story. Now she finds out that her future self set them up to be engaged, and the guy she began to resent for leading her on was actually in love with her. Quite honestly, Sona didn't know what to feel about anything anymore or how she felt about him.

"And now my list of do's and don't s." Future-Sona continued, "Since I pretty much blind-sided both you and Ambrose with this engagement, think of this advice I hope you listen to." Future-Sona said while she actually brought out a list to read from.

Sona couldn't help but smile as she was quite infamous within her peerage for making and handing out lists of things to do.

"First, train your peerage." Future-Sona stated. "I know it sounds obvious at this point, but you really don't have a lot of time. The first battle hits Kuoh soon and hits our peerage hard. Only four of us survived the initial attack and after that everything happened too fast for me to replenish our loss. You're going to have to be ready for what's to come, but until then be sure to ask Am-chan for help if you need it. You might be surprised at the different solutions he presents."

"Second, look after Am-chan. You've probably figured out that he's brilliant, but his intelligence is outmatched by his strength. You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but I've seen him do things only a Maō can do." Her future self said with a chuckle, as if she it was an inside joke.

"His **[Sacred Gear]** is insanely powerful, and I sometimes have trouble believing some of the things he can accomplish. I think that if he hadn't tossed himself in the future and actually lived through The Final War he could have won for all of us, but by the time the war spilled into Earth things were pretty much spiraling out of control. Please learn to trust and rely on him. Mostly because he already trusts and relies on you. He needs you, more than you both realize. He's going to want to take on this entire burden himself. He's been alone for a very long time; we both have. It's part of why we get along so well now. But I'm worried that he'll isolate himself with out me there. So please, if you can't find it in your heart to love him, then at least try to be his friend."

Sona couldn't help it, but she felt there was more to than than her future self let on.

"Next, don't turn Saji if you haven't already."

Sona blinked astonishingly at the screen. _'What?'_

"Ambrose says that when he returns to the past it'll be the beginning of April, which is the same month I turned him. So if it's not too late, then don't bother. It's not that he's a terrible **[Pawn]** , it's just that you can do better; a lot better. He's a bit of a disappointment." Sona's counterpart explained on the screen. "At first I held high hopes for him. He was eager, earnest, held **[Sacred Gear]** , but I think he definitely wasn't worth the four **[Pawn]** s I used to turn him into a devil."

" _What's wrong with Saji?"_ Sona couldn't help but wonder.

"I used to think of him as a little brother, always trying to please me and follow me around. But as the years went by I began to realized a few things about him. He had a huge inflated ego, often running his mouth when it wasn't appropriate or taking on challenges that was far beyond his capability to handle. He'd always got into trouble when we went on missions and we'd have to go rescue him. It actually became a joke when planning missions for the war. 'Infiltrate behind enemy lines, accomplish objective, save Saji, head for extraction'. His mouth also got us all into more trouble than I'd care to remember; bragging about things he couldn't do or insulting people who could kill him in an instant. I had to beg for his life quite a few times."

"He constantly sucked up and had this creepy obsession with me." her future self went on. "When he found out that I would only marry someone who defeated me in chess he started challenging me weekly. He did improve, but when you defeat someone in only 2 moves on your first game that person's skill level has no where to go but up. Eventually I caught him cheating. I would some times play out of boredom on late nights to pass the time wherever we were stationed. He somehow found an old laptop with a chess game on it and got someone to feed him moves while he played against me. The person on the other end would move the same piece as I did and then relay the computer's moves to Saji on his earpiece. I figured out he was cheating before the game was finished because there was no way he had improved that much. I punished him quite severely for that and never played against him again."

Sona balked at the declaration her counterpart just said. While she didn't feel regretful for turning Saji, she did feel a bit disappointed that Saji would not only turn out the way he did, but that he used such underhanded tactics to try engage himself to her. She vowed to keep a closer eye on him. _'Perhaps I can stamp out his bad habits before they take root'_ , Sona reasoned.

"There was one night, where in a moment of weakness I slept with him." Her counterpart confessed to Sona's horror. "My parents just died, and Onee-sama was away with her duties as she often was towards the end."

" _Mother? Father?"_ Sona thought disbelievingly as the surprises kept coming, _"And Onee-sama not there to grieve over our parents deaths?"_ Tears began to pool in Sona's eyes as she quickly reminded herself that her counterpart was the last devil in existence in that timeline. When faced with the end of all devil-kind, her Onee-sama had no choice but to fulfill her duties.

"The next day I was so ashamed to have done it, but Saji...", her counterpart growled out, "Saji was over the moon, loudly proclaiming to anyone how he impregnated me." Both Sona's were visibly disgusted at the thought, or memory in her counterpart's case.

"When Onee-sama found out", Future-Sona continued, "she almost forced the two of us to marry which set Saji's mood to even greater heights. Even after Onee-sama found out that I wasn't pregnant she still insisted the two of us wed. After a lot of pleading I managed to talk her out of it, but I think Onee-sama just wanted me to be happy in the end."

"Which brings me to my final request." Future-Sona said with a choked voice. "Give Onee-sama a hug. Give her lots of hugs and kisses too. Let her know how much you love her as often as you can. You never know what the future holds, or how long you can hold onto the ones you love."

Both Sonas, past and future were now trying to hold back tears. Sona nearly wept at the thought of losing her beloved Onee-sama, while her counterpart actually began to cry from the remembering the loss.

"The final war hit her pretty hard. Maō, I would have given anything to see her smile. I even dressed up in one of those magical girl outfits she loved so much just to cheer her up, but all I got was a halfhearted smile in return. She was so tired towards the end."

"Before Maō Lucifer died, he told me she was like that during the devil civil war too. It wasn't until then I realized the whole reason she acted the way she did was because she felt like she lost a bit of her innocence during the civil war. Her whole magical girl obsession was a way for her to get it back and to spread some love and cheer to the devil children through her television show. When I put that magical girl outfit on to cheer her up I failed because she knew… she knew that my innocence had already died and it broke her heart."

Tears now spilled down both of their faces as they wept for their beloved sister.

"The last night I saw her, she crawled into my bed as she often used to do whenever I came home from school. She held onto me and wept. She cried all night and I couldn't do or say anything to comfort her. So I held her till we both fell asleep. When I woke up I discovered that Onee-sama had encased me in a block of ice, the entire underworld lay ravaged before me and I knew. I knew I was witnessing the end of days. The end of our people, of life as I knew it, the death of Onee-sama." Future-Sona sniffed a bit and tried to compose herself. She tried and failed; the tears kept coming. "She knew it was the end before I did. She knew she was going to die. She cried because she knew it was all over and she did the only thing she could have done to save me."

" _Damn it!"_ Sona cursed as she took her glasses off to wipe away her tears. She was crying so hard she couldn't even see clearly. _"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"_

"So please. Sona, I'm begging you please. Please live. Please love. Take this opportunity, this second chance. Hold onto it and fiercely fight for it. Be the best Sona there could ever be in any timeline. Hold onto your dreams and live them for me. Because by the time you're listening to this I'm already gone." Future Sona said, no longer bothering to hold her tears back. "I'm gone, and you're there in my place. But that's okay. Because together we'll get it right this time."

The DVD ended, but Sona didn't care.

Sona wept. She wept for her future, for her loss, for her lost peerage, for never telling her Onee-sama just how much she truly loved her. Sona wept till she cried herself to sleep and had no more tears left.


	5. Prequel Chapter 4

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona was roused from her slumber by a gentle shake on her shoulder. Her face and pillow were stained with her tears. She wiped her eyes to clear them and saw Ambrose with his hand on her shoulder. His normally kind eyes looked quite sad.

"I've really put you through it, haven't I?" Ambrose said in an attempt to comfort her, "I know you just met me but I'd like to think that we could be friends. If you need to talk..."

"It's okay." She insisted, "I'm alright."

Ambrose's face grew more sorrowful.

Sona's then put her hand on top of his and gave it an encouraging squeeze. "But thank you", she added, genuinely touched by his concern for her.

Ambrose's smile had returned, "Dinner's ready."

"Would you mind giving me a moment to freshen up?" Sona asked.

Ambrose nodded in return. "I'll see you downstairs.", he said as he left her room.

Sona took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. To be honest, she felt a lot better after a cry and nap. She rose from the bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Sona then saw her reflection; her hair was a mess, her eyes were red and puffy, and the little black dress she was still wearing was wrinkled.

" _A shower, would_ _probably_ _best."_ Sona thought, feeling slightly embarrassed that Ambrose had seen her in such a state.

The anxiety she felt earlier washed away as hot water sprayed down on her slim body. Sona was a firm believer that a clean body helped to keep a clean and clear mind. It's why she and her friend Rias often discussed important matters in her private sauna. Now that her body was clean she felt she could begin to look at the problem logically.

" _The problem",_ Sona thought as she dried herself off with a fresh towel, _"is that I still need more information."_

She began to search the dresser and closets, looking for appropriate clothes as she continued her line of thought. _"I should probably start by viewing the reports from my counterpart."_

With her next step in mind she finished getting dressed and left her room to began to head downstairs. She hadn't really paid attention to her surroundings in the house before and began to take note of the rooms she passed on her way back down to the dining room. She was currently on the third floor of the house, an entire floor dedicated solely to two very large master bedrooms, the one which was assigned to her the other most likely belonged to Ambrose.

After watching her counterpart's video and confession as to the type of relationship Ambrose and her future self shared, she appreciated his unspoken gesture to allow her a separate room. While she did enjoy the "date" they had in the few private hours in his house, 500 years in the past, she felt she needed some time for the two to get to know each other. She did plan to honor the promise to her parents, to marry the man who defeated her in chess. Still the entire ordeal of losing a game and then immediately pushed into to a date left her feeling a bit overwhelmed. Now, it seemed that they had all the time in the world to get to know each other, so long as they stayed in the future.

The second floor, she noted as she continued to walk down the stairs, seemed to be tailored for recreation. There was a gaming room, _"With a bar"_ , she noticed with a frown. She also found a gym with exercise equipment that seemed to give off a magical aura. _"No doubt the equipment is magically enhanced to help improve training."_ She also noticed a pool on the 2nd floor deck outside and two other bedrooms which were for guests.

Finally, she went down to the ground floor where the kitchen and dining room were located. She also noticed the stairs continued down into a basement she vowed to inspect later. She then took noticed of a music room and as she walked towards the dining room she couldn't help but notice the outside pool. It was same pool that was on the floor above her, however, it had glass walls so that if someone were swimming a person could see them underwater from the ground floor.

"I see you found your way here." Ambrose said with a smile as he finished setting the table.

"I took a moment to explore the upper floors a bit." Sona commented as she sat down. "I noticed you have a bar." She said giving him her signature disapproving look.

"Yes, I believe I mentioned that I make wine and spirits." Ambrose replied as he went to fetch the meals from the kitchen.

"A bar implies that you're doing more than making alcohol." Sona pressed the issue further.

"I also believe I told you I had to taste my wares." Ambrose said as he walked back to the dining room kitchen with their meal in hand.

"I fail to see how you need to make and drink wine in both the past and the future." Sona remarked, not willing to let the matter drop.

"I make the wine in the past." Ambrose said as he set her plate down in front of her. "I then hide it within these walls so it can age 500 years. I only taste it in the future, so I know how good it'll be."

"That's… very clever", Sona admitted and decided to let the issue drop… for now.

"Before we begin," Ambrose suddenly said changing the topic, "I'd like to apologize to you."

"For what?" Sona wondered.

"For my deception. For bringing you here under false pretenses."

"I can't imagine how you would have brought me here otherwise." Sona said, amused at the thought of Ambrose stating his intentions from the beginning. Confessing to being a time traveler without proof would have had her and Tsubaki tossing him right out of her office.

Ambrose returned her smile back, "Never the less, it was terribly rude of me. And I feel quite remorseful because of it. I've made a poor first impression and I'm sorry."

Truthfully Sona no longer felt any ill will towards him. She was upset at first, even frustrated. But now…

"There's nothing to forgive. I understand why you did it." Sona said while putting her thoughts and feelings into words. "And truthfully I think… I know I'll be better off because it. Thank you for bringing me here."

Ambrose smiled with obvious relief, and Sona reassuringly smiled back in return. She appreciated his honesty with sharing all that he did with her and the effort he took to consider her feelings. If they were going to solve the problems which lay before them they had to have a strong working relationship.

" _Relationship..."_ Sona thought for a moment and chose to brush that topic aside for now.

Instead she inspected this special meal which would keep her forever young if eaten annually. She was quite surprised to find out that was a quiche with half of a grilled life fruit next to it; the entire plate gave off a wispy rainbow aura. Ambrose then sat across from her with a plate of his own. He cut of a small bit of both quiche and life fruit on his fork and began to eat.

" _Here goes nothing."_ , Sona thought as she did the same. She followed his example and put a bit of fruit and quiche on her fork.

"Mmm!" She exclaimed in surprise as she first tasted her food. "It's wonderful."

Ambrose smiled in thanks, "How do you like your room?", he asked in an attempt to make small talk.

"It's perfectly fine." Sona replied as she took another bite of her wonderful meal.

"But the room is not to your taste." Ambrose observed. "You're more than welcome to decorate it however you like, but you'll probably have to wait until we return to the past. I'm afraid there isn't a very large selection when it comes to shopping here in the future."

Sona shouldn't have been surprised that he was able to read her so well. _"He has spent many intimate years with my counterpart",_ she thought privately, realizing that she was at a disadvantage when it came to them getting to know one another. She vowed to mitigate that disadvantage, and became suddenly grateful that her future-self hadn't told him of the hidden meaning behind their chess match. _"At least I know one thing he doesn't."_

Thoughts of her future-self did remind her of recordings.

"When do you want to start reviewing the reports my counterpart made?", Sona inquired between bites.

"I'm glad you brought that up." Ambrose remarked in return. "You see, I'd like for you to begin your own recordings for your own personal review later. We're going to be here awhile, and you might forget a few small details by the time we return. If you return to your peerage and had forgotten what you did last week it might raise some questions."

"That's actually a good idea." Sona admitted, "But it doesn't answer my question."

"Reviewing those records will take a while, and while we aren't pressed for time, we have a lot to do. I believe we can make a more efficient use of it then diving right into those records." Ambrose said.

"And what do you suggest we do instead?" Sona asked, irritated not only that her question wasn't answered but that he was evading it.

"We start your training." Ambrose emphatically said. "I've come up with ways to train you physically, magically, and mentally. Improving your skills will no doubt alter whatever strategy we come up with after we've reviewing those recordings."

Sona chewed her food slowly as she considered his reasoning. He did have a point; once she reviewed those recordings she would immediately being formulating a strategy. A strategy that would no doubt have to be redone if her skills significantly improved. She hated having to repeat a task over and over again.

"Where do you think we should start first?" She asked and took another bite.

"In the wasteland, it's the best place to begin your physical and magical training." Ambrose replied after swallowing his bite.

"Why there?" Sona wondered. "I saw you have a gym. I sensed magic in your workout equipment. We could begin here."

"Yes, that is training, but it's not learning how to fight against anything." Ambrose said, trying to explain his reasoning. "Out there you'll find opponents. Sure they're mindless beasts, but they're beasts you'll have to learn how to fight sooner or later. This way you can improve your reflexes, athleticism, and magical skills while learning the weaknesses of the monsters we'll have to eventually face."

Sona was not looking forward to this. She could buckle down and work hard, harder than most people she'd met. It didn't mean she enjoyed such strenuous efforts. "I won't be sparing against you?"

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea." Ambrose said then took another bite.

"Why not?" She pressed, annoyed that she once more wasn't getting answers or getting her way.

" _Is he hesitating to fight me due to his relationship with my counterpart?"_ Sona wondered privately, _"Surely they spared before, and from her description it sounds like he could be quite powerful."_

"Ambrose, what's your **[Sacred Gear]**?" Sona asked.

He choked on his food. He coughed for quite a bit until he managed to take a drink of his tea. "What was in that recording you made for yourself?" He asked, once again dodging the question.

"That's none of your business." She replied testily, "And stop evading my questions. You were very honest earlier. Please continue to be honest with me."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you." Ambrose explained, "It's that I don't want to tell you right now. You've been given a lot of onerous information and I don't wish to add another large burden on you."

" _Oh this can't be good"_ , She thought.

"I think I'd rather know, all the same." Sona insisted.

Ambrose set his fork down, took a deep breath and then exhaled. If Sona had any doubts about the seriousness of what was to come, they had officially been laid to rest.

"Alright, I'll tell you." He began, and then took a moment as if to gather his thoughts. "You must understand that I'm not an expert in **[Sacred Gear]**. My studies in magic never covered them, they're so rare that there really seemed to be no point to it. I had always assumed that the power I have… the power it granted me was my own power. I've used this power from a very young age, never knowing what it really was; that it wasn't really mine to begin with."

"Most **[Sacred Gear]** wielders don't know they have the power within them." Sona said, urging the conversation along. "But an individual unknowingly wielding its power without full comprehension of it potential isn't unheard of.". She said wondering why he was making this so difficult.

"God is dead." Ambrose announced suddenly.

It was so sudden that even Sona paused for a moment, before realizing that it must be true. "Yes… You mentioned that the Angels were extinct in this time period. But what does that have to do with your **[Sacred Gear]**?"

"No, I mean he's dead in our time. He died during the Great War between the three factions. The war before the devil civil war." Ambrose clarified.

"That's... not possible", Sona denied, "If he were dead then we would know. The Maōs would know."

" _Onee-sama would know. She would have told me."_ Sona privately thought.

"The Maōs did know." Ambrose said, "And it was also the main reason why the Old Satan Faction wanted to continue the war after the original Lucifer died. With the death of the 'Old Deus', they saw a weakness and wanted to continue the original Lucifer's work to conquer Heaven. But some devils didn't want to fight anymore. With the original Lucifer dead, some devils wanted to replenish their numbers. You know this part, don't you?"

"Yes, that's why the devil civil war started and how the new Maōs came to power." Sona said, "So you're suggesting that when the new Maōs came to power they discovered that God was dead and decided to hide it from everyone, even their own people?"

" _Onee-sama hid it from me?"_ Sona questioned, not believing her sister could keep such a secret from her.

"They had to." Ambrose said, "The devil population was hurting even before the civil war began; it was even lower after the devil civil war which gave rise to the new Maōs. There was also the fact that more devils would want to continue the war against Heaven if the Old Dues's death became common knowledge. On the other side, the Angels needed people to continue to believe in the Old Deus, they can't survive without the power of belief and prayer from humans. It benefited both sides for everyone to remain silent about His death."

"So the Maōs silence on God's death was the price they paid in order to keep the ceasefire between the factions." Sona reasoned aloud. She then realized she allowed herself to be distracted and pressed her original question, "That still doesn't answer my question. What is you're **[Sacred Gear]** , Ambrose?" She asked with a glare.

"As your counterpart taught me, **[Sacred Gear]** s are artifacts created by The System from the souls of powerful beings; they are hidden in humans so that they can protect themselves and their world from supernatural threats. Now, if they're created from the souls of powerful beings, what do you think happened to the Old Deus's soul when he died?" Ambrose asked with a serious face.

Sona's eyes widened in horror and yelled. "You're the inheritor of the Biblical God's power?!"

"Afraid so." Ambrose said, and resumed his meal.

Sona sat in silence, her meal forgotten in front of her. _"Ambrose did warn me",_ she thought, _"But nothing could have prepared me for this."_

Sona had never heard of such a thing.

" _Not surprising since God's death is a state secret. Ambrose is probably the very first wielder of this new Longinus. No,"_ Sona began to realize, _"It would be a power far beyond that of a Longinus."_

"What does it do?" She couldn't help but ask.

"She, your counterpart, called it 'The **[** **Master Key** **]** '." Ambrose replied. "She believed that it was the culmination and collection of the powers from all **[Sacred Gear]** s. I suspect this is true as well, as the Old Deus was a bit full of himself. He probably couldn't stand the thought of weapons that could kill Him, or powers that He, Himself, didn't have. So as He created The System and **[Sacred Gear]** s, He also incorporated their powers into Himself to enhance His own strength and continue His supremacy as the one true God. I never knew why I could do the things I could do, nor did I think the reason was because something beyond my own ability. It never even occurred to me it was a **[Sacred Gear]** until...", Ambrose trailed off.

"Until..." she urged, not liking where this was going.

"He spoke to me."

" _Shit"_ , Sona cursed mentally. It was true, some **[Sacred Gear]** 's were powerful enough to be sentient. It shouldn't surprise her that the God of the Bible would be strong enough to communicate with His host."

"Personally I've always felt that hearing voices in your head was never a good sign for one's sanity." Ambrose remarked. "And the Old Deus wasn't particularly pleased to discover that He had become a tool to be used after His death. He never expected to die, nor that His System would transform His power into a **[Sacred Gear]**."

"You're certain it's the Biblical God." Sona asked, hoping it wasn't true.

"Oh yes." Ambrose assured her, though Sona still found no comfort from his assurance. "He made that quite clear as He tried to assert His dominance and take full control over my body."

"What?" She asked in disbelief as shock after shock kept coming.

"You think the Biblical God, with an ego that wouldn't allow humans to worship any God before Him, would ever allow Himself to become a tool to be used?" Ambrose said getting angry at the memory.

"Ambrose, please calm down." Sona urged, a bit frightened herself at the implications.

Ambrose took another deep breath and exhaled. Sona began to realize how difficult this memory was for him.

" _He wasn't trying to hide anything from me, he didn't want to talk about it because it was so painful. If it's upsetting him so much, then why not tell me so?"_ Sona asked herself, but then quickly answered her own question. _"I wouldn't have accepted 'no' for an answer. I would have continued to press..."_

Sona began to feel guilty. Her curiosity and incessant need for answers had pushed him and caused him to relive this painful memory. Yet for some reason he gave her the answers she wanted despite his own pain.

"I have wielded this power since a very young age." Ambrose continued again, once he had collected himself. "The first time I accessed this power, it saved my life. It's how I became The Dragon Slayer."

"You first used it in the Bayankala Mountain range." Sona realized aloud.

"You did your homework." Ambrose said with a smile, grateful for a small moment of levity. "Yes, the first time was in the Bayankala Mountains. What a nasty fight was, stuck between a Dragon King and Devil-Phenex. I should have died then, but some how I found this power within me and managed to defeat my opponents. But that wasn't when the Old Deus woke from his slumber. That happened much later, the first time I traveled to the future."

"You must understand that there was absolutely nothing but the wasteland and the beasts that roam it during that first time I time traveled to the future; Oasis didn't exist. I told you I explored the wasteland, not only to figure out what happened but to train my body and my magic. I was unknowingly also training my **[Sacred Gear]**. Imagine my surprise when the power within me, the power I always thought was a part of me, began to wake up and speak. The first words He ever said to me was when He began His fight to control me." Ambrose recounted. "'I am the Lord thy God. Relinquish your form to Me, for this body will become a vessel for My power. I am unmatched, the forces of the universe bend to My will. I am assuming control of this form and shall remake it in My image.'" Ambrose said quoting the Biblical God, the being he referred to as 'Old Deus'.

He paused, and took another deep breath. Recalling this was visibly upsetting him, but he continued on with his tale before Sona could voice her concern.

"It was the most difficult fight of my life. The pain was so incredible I nearly lost my sanity as He began to change my entire body into a form fit to hold His power. But you must understand, this was not a physical fight, it was a mental one; a fight that I couldn't win. He was far too strong. I was completely at His mercy, unable fight Him at all. So I did the only thing I could do. The only thing anyone can do when they're in a fight for their very soul with a being that completely outclasses them."

"You made a deal?" Sona asked, terrified of the answer Ambrose might give.

"No." Ambrose said as any trace of his anger vanished, and smiled confidently at her. "I made the Old Deus doubt Himself."

"What?", Sona asked for clarification, "What do you mean you made Him doubt Himself?"

"Doubt can cripple even the strongest opponents." Ambrose said, "If you can make your opponent truly doubt themselves, to doubt their entire purpose for fighting in the first place, then you can win any fight. So, with no other option available that's just what I did. I showed Him. I showed the Old Deus the future that lay all around us both. The wasteland, the death of His Angels. He was creator of everything and now He was the God of nothing; Heaven, Hell and Earth were all destroyed. All of His work was destroyed, all of His enemies were dead, all of His children were gone. He had nothing at all, nothing to live for, not even revenge. He had no purpose, so what was the point in taking control at all? And it worked, He began to weaken."

"I pressed my advantage, arguing that this future, all of this was because of Him. That He either planned all this or He wasn't as perfect as He had claimed to be and didn't see it coming. He certainly didn't plan His death, nor did he plan to be turned into a **[Sacred Gear]**. I made Him realize that He was flawed and not the ultimate being of perfection He pretended to be. At first He was furious, I could feel His anger and in His fury He began to attack me anew as if He meant to destroy us both. But killing me served no purpose. If I died so would he, and there were no more humans to inherit His power or any **[Sacred Gear]**. Eventually His doubt began to grow larger as He realize the truth behind my words. He realized that He had nothing to live for, nothing at all. There was no longer any point to His existence. Then His soul, His entire essence, turned in on itself and He became nothing. He had killed his own consciousness; the Old Deus's Spirit truly died once and for all and in the vacuum of His passing His power truly became mine."

Sona sat dumbfounded as her mind tried to comprehend what she had just learned. She didn't know what to think or what to say. Neither one of them did, so they sat across one another in silence for a long time.

Sona couldn't imagine being in such a fight. She prided herself on her intelligence, but when Ambrose explained the vulnerable position he suddenly found himself in, a fight for his very soul, her first thought was that he made a deal. That Ambrose had pleaded for his life.

" _But it never even occurred to him to do so"_ , Sona thought, _"He found an impossible way to win. To win against the greatest enemy the devil race had ever known. He had defeated the Biblical God."_

"I am forever changed because of the fight." Ambrose said, breaking the silence. "The Old Deus did something, changed me physically and somehow altered my DNA. I compared samples of my DNA from before and after the fight. It seems the Old Deus changed 50% of my DNA into … whatever… whatever I am now." Ambrose said in a whisper looking down at his empty plate. "I honestly don't know what I am."

Sona's heart couldn't help but break for him. He suffered so much, and she… she had forced him to relive this painful memory because she demanded answers. She felt a terrible sense of guilt for being completely uncaring of his feelings.

"I'm sorry." Sona whispered.

"It's not your fault." Ambrose said, once again trying to reassure her.

He completely misunderstood her apology. Sona was trying to apologize for demanding answers and being so thoughtless of his feelings. Ambrose gave so much of himself to her freely. He gave answers to all of her questions and it was her fault for not liking the answers. He shared every bit of himself to her; his life, his work, his amazing accomplishments, and his painful hardships. He gave and gave and she selfishly demanded more of him. The only thing he ever asked was her patience, but she couldn't even give him that. And yet here he was, trying to give her comfort after she selfishly demanded that he share something so private, an experience so dreadful that she doubted anyone else could have survived.

Sona felt her actions were horrible and thoughtless; she felt ashamed.

"I'm sorry" Sona cried out again as she rushed around the table and embraced him tightly. She buried her head in his shoulder as her own tears fell.

Ambrose wrapped his arms around her and soothingly rubbed her back with one hand and stroked her hair with another. He did it with out any awkwardness or hesitation, as if he held her like this before and it was completely natural.

" _He has done this before."_ Sona thought, though she refused to let him go. _"But Maō does this feel so good."_

"I had no right. No right to demand any answers from you." Sona clarified her earlier apology, still tightly holding onto him. "It was selfish of me."

"It's alright." Ambrose said, trying to comfort her once more. He continued to rub her back and gently began rocking back and forth. "I wanted you to know. I just wish there was a better way to tell you. A way that didn't upset you so much."

" _Maō, how can he be so caring when I've been such a selfish bitch."_ , Sona thought and then realized the answer to her question. _"He loves me."_

She looked up at him while still holding onto him tightly. His kind blue-green eyes looked back at her as he smiled down at her. _"He really, truly loves me."_

Sona stared at his smile, his lips.

" _I wonder..."_ Sona never finished her thought as their lips met.

She didn't know if his lips met hers, or hers met his. All she knew was that his lips were soft and felt so right, as if they were made to only kiss her. When their lips parted she made sure it was her lips that reached for his this time. She ran her fingers through his crimson hair and pressed their lips together again and again. She didn't know if kisses were suppose to feel this wonderful, but she knew she never wanted to kiss any other lips than his for the rest of her life.

Once again their lips parted and for a moment they stared at one another.

Suddenly a magical glow enveloped them both and a wonderful feeling spread through her entire body.

"What was that?" Sona asked while thinking to herself, _"I know that kiss was magical but to actually get a magical reaction?"_

"The Ambrosia." Ambrose said, "It's taken affect. Our body's won't begin to age for another year."

Suddenly Ambrose shook his head clear and backed away from her.

His sudden withdraw hurt her.

"I'm sorry." Ambrose contritely began to apologize for kissing her. "I shouldn't have..."

"No." Sona interrupted. She knew what he was thinking. For the first time Sona knew what Ambrose was thinking, and it filled her with confidence. She felt like she was finally beginning to understand him.

"Don't be sorry.", she insisted. "You should never be sorry for giving a girl her first kiss. Especially one as lovely as that."

Ambrose blushed at her words and Sona couldn't help but feel extremely pleased that she could get such a reaction out of him.

"Your first?" Ambrose asked with surprise.

Sona nodded bashfully.

"You're my first kiss, as well." He replied.

Sona knew that was a lie, and was about to chastise him before she began to realize something. _"_ _In a way, he'_ _s_ _telling the truth. My future self and I could quite possibly be the only people… person he's ever kissed."_

"She told me." Sona confessed, "She told me about us, that is the two of you."

"I asked her not to", Ambrose said with a frown, "I didn't want you to feel obligated to..."

"I don't." Sona interrupted.

It was true she was obligated to marry Ambrose when he first had beaten her in chess. As a high class devil of the original 72 pillars of Devil Society and heir to the Sitri clan, Sona never had the luxury of choosing who she would marry. She had managed to get out of her original engagement by beating her previous fiance in chess in order to demonstrate what a dunce he really was. The icing on the cake was that he was so embarrassed by the loss that he was the one who called the entire engagement off. Her parents, of course, saw through her machinations and retaliated by stating she had to marry the next man who beat her. However Sona had thought of a clever solution to that problem; she would find someone worthy and play him repeatedly until he beat her. But in a strange twist of time, she had done exactly that. She had found someone worthy, chose to marry him, and sent him back in time to beat her past self.

Sona Sitri had essentially chosen the man she was going to marry; a man she could, and did at one point in time, love with all her heart. Her heart swelled at the realization of her future self's true purpose, and for the first time since learning of the future and all the burdens it would bring, Sona Sitri felt hope for the future.

* * *

The sunlight filtered through the bedroom window which slowly had roused Sona from her slumber. She yawned and stretched, while still refusing to leave her warm place in bed; luxuriating in the very rare event of a morning where she had no pressing demands. There was no school, no peerage to train, no contracts to fulfill, and her own personal training wouldn't begin until Ambrose had gathered enough supplies for their trip into the wasteland.

" _Ambrose is still asleep"_ , Sona noticed as she laid her head back down and was content to watch his peaceful sleeping face.

It wasn't her original intention to sleep with to him, not at first. After their kiss, they had both decided to go to bed separately. It was 8:30 pm when they had left for the future, yet 12 noon when they arrived in this time period. By the time they had finished dinner and shared their kisses it was 8:30 pm in this time line. That meant her body believed it was around 5 am by the time they went to bed, in a "time traveler's jet lag" way. Since 5 am is when she normally woke for the day, Sona calculated that she had been awake for 24 hours by the time she finally did go to sleep.

After they bade each other goodnight and went to their separate rooms, Sona had changed into a comfortable pair of pajamas that she had found in the dresser. While looking at the dresser, she saw the DVD player which still contained the message her future self made for her. She remembered her counterparts words, begging her to live, to love, and to take this second chance and make the most of it.

She then decided she wasn't going to spend the night alone. In Sona's mind Ambrose was, is, and had always been hers before she ever laid eyes on him; and in a way that was true.

He answered his bedroom door, after she knocked, wearing a T-Shirt and pajama pants. His hair was damp from just getting out of the shower. Bashfully, she had asked him if she could share his bed, just to sleep, nothing more. As comfortable as she felt with him, she wasn't ready for sex.

Sona certainly didn't regret her sleeping location on this new morning. She laid her head on his chest, draped her leg over him, and pressed her body close while contently listening to his heartbeat. She felt warm, loved, and safe within his arms.

" _Arms that seemed to have pulled my shirt up in the middle of the night."_ Sona noticed, though she didn't mind. She was still covering all the important places, the only skin that was showing was her back

Slowly, Ambrose began to wake as well; yawning while rubbing her exposed back. She couldn't help but smile at the feeling of the intimate gesture that came so naturally and felt so right. The first thing he did was check the time displayed on the alarm clock. He then saw Sona's glasses next to the clock on the nightstand and with out hesitation he picked them up and handed them to her with a smile.

"Good morning." Ambrose greeted her.

"Good morning." Sona smiled in return as she accepted her glasses and kissed his lips before putting her glasses on. "What time is it?"

"Nine am." Ambrose noted with surprise, "We slept for twelve hours. I hope you slept well."

"Yes." Sona nodded with a blush, and then sat up to face the new day. "I don't normally sleep in this late but seeing how we pretty much did an extreme change in time zones I think it could be over looked."

"I need to head into town." Ambrose said as he stretched then rose from the bed. "I'm going to get some supplies we'll need for our trip. In the mean time, go ahead and start on your own recordings." Ambrose then quickly got out of bed and thoughtlessly began to strip in front of her, rummaging around his own dresser for clothes.

Sona eyes grew wide at the sight before her and her glasses started to fall down her nose. She quickly adjusted them so she could appreciate the view of Ambrose's backside. Sona unconsciously bit her bottom lip as she took in the view of his back, his legs, and his butt. He had the body of a swimmer; sleek, very toned, and very well defined.

But in Sona's mind the most important thing was, _"He's mine."_

Ambrose was oblivious Sona's observation as he began to dress for the day. It wasn't until he sat on the bed to put his pants on did Sona actually notice something odd. His entire outfit was made of cotton. Sona realized this made a certain amount of sense since he was headed into town which wasn't industrialized; synthetic fabrics didn't exist.

"I should be back before you're done, so look for me in my lab." Ambrose said, gesturing to the private staircase in his bedroom. "See you later." He said, giving her a kiss on her lips as he walked out the door dressed as a 19th century farm hand.

Sona's blush was fierce at what just happened. She had just slept in a boy's bed, boldly watched him undress then dressed, then gotten a kiss as he left for the day. She felt like she was a newly wed and she wished she could some how send a letter to her counterpart to thank her.

Her actions were both bold, a bit out of character of her, but quite honestly she felt entitled to them. Ambrose was hers, she felt confident in that, and currently she was away from her responsibilities as **[King]** , student council president, and heiress to the Sitri family. So what harm could there be in enjoying the benefits? They were alone, her peerage was waiting 500 years in the past for her. When the time came to return to the past, she'd once again become the **[King]** of her peerage and student council president. Never the less, she felt she was allowed to be 'just a girl', given her current situation.

She went back to her room feeling quite lighthearted as she began to make a list of the things she did this past week. She often made lists of things to do for the day and pass them out to her peerage in their roles as members of Kuoh's Student Council. Unfortunately, looking back at what you did was a little harder than looking forward to what you were going to do. With a bit of inspiration she found her cell phone, which unsurprisingly had no service, and was able to use its calendar to reconstruct her past schedule with a little more clarity. Still, every time she thought she was almost done, she would remember something else. What she had for dinner four nights ago, a special request that she had done for the science club. Anything and everything could be relevant, so she tried to be as thorough as possible.

By the time she was finished, and sure of it, it was lunch time and she figured Ambrose had returned. She set off to find him in his laboratory.

His lab was not what she had expected.

It was a cross between a magician's potion lab and a proper science laboratory. There were jars of insects, and amphibians, a strange large green rock sat up on a pedestal; she couldn't imagine what he kept in the refrigerator. Cauldrons of all sizes were bubbling. Beakers, distillers, and centrifuges; and antennas which had arcs of magic and electricity that would leap from one another to create puffs of smoke in a wide variety of colors. And there in the center there was Ambrose dancing between everything; adding ingredients, stirring cauldrons, adjusting meters, casting spells, and typing on a keyboard. Despite his obviously busy work load Ambrose seemed to flow around it all effortlessly.

"All done?" He asked smiling at her briefly as he quickly moved to take a strainer out of a pot and began to pour a dark liquid into a cup.

"What are you making?" Sona asked curiously.

"Essence of Magic Elixirs, Potent Invigoration Potions, and this..." Ambrose said pointing to various cauldrons and flasks, while pouring the dark liquid into another cup and handing it to her.

"What is it?" She asked, sniffing it carefully.

"Tea." He replied. "The locals make it, figured I'd try it out."

"What else did you get from them?" She wondered, while waiting for her tea to cool down a bit.

"Not much, most of their stuff are things I grow myself. I did managed to get quite a bit of flour. I don't grow grains, takes up too much space."

"So you can have your fresh bread and milk?" Sona asked with a teasing smile.

"Bread yes, milk no." Ambrose said with a smile of his own, "No farm animals of any kind in this town. Did you know that 80% of all farmland goes to raising animals? From growing the food they eat to the land they need to roam."

"I imagine when you're limited in space, not having animals could be a benefit." Sona said, and then realized, "They have your special plants, don't they? The ones that grow eggs, meats, and cheeses."

"Sure do." Ambrose said with a smile, "Unfortunately no bacon."

"Oh dear, how could they have made it so long with out bacon." Sona sarcastically teased, though all this talk of food reminded her that she had skipped breakfast. It was nearly lunch and he looked so busy. "I have an idea, let me fix you lunch."

Ambrose suddenly began to violently choke on his tea. Sona was worried that he had an allergic reaction and tried to help him by gently patting his back so he might breathe a little easier.

"I'm fine", Ambrose wheezily reassured her, "Really, something just went down the wrong pipe. Tell you what," he said after clearing his throat, "I built a nice sauna outside by the pool. Why don't you go enjoy yourself while I fix lunch."

"Oh no" Sona insisted enthusiastically, "Just you wait, I'm going to make you a lunch so great you'll never forget it. I know! I'll make my family's famous udon dish; the Sitri clan takes great pride in its ability to make homemade udon from scratch. It's to die for."

Ambrose's face suddenly grew pale, and Sona began to worry that there was indeed something wrong with the tea. She set her cup down, vowing not to drink it. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I hope so." Ambrose weakly replied.

"Some good udon soup, that's what you need." Sona insisted as she happily left for the kitchen. "It'll fix you right up, you'll see."

She rushed downstairs, quite eager to make something her new fiance would enjoy. The feeling of being a newly wed swelled her heart as she thought of creating a wonderful meal for her fiance. She couldn't help but giggle aloud and blush at the thought, _"I've officially become a girl in love."_

Never the less, she was Sona Sitri, and she would not allow herself to be distracted from her goals. Udon was serious business, and she was determined for this meal to be a success.

And so she began, rolling up her sleeves and mixing the ingredients to create the perfect consistency for udon dough. She grunted as she kneaded the dough thoroughly, the practice of making udon noodles from scratch was an ancient Sitri tradition, and she would do it justice.

" _Udon is justice. Udon is life. I will make this the greatest udon dish any Sitri has ever or will ever make!"_ , Sona mentally declared as light reflected her glasses, _"I will prove myself as a future bride. Thus I swear it!"_

Sona focused, ensuring the glutton from the grain was properly distributed through out, while also ensuring the dough had time to rest properly in order for it to have the perfect suppleness, elasticity, and viscosity.

" _And now,"_ Sona thought as the udon dough became the desired 1/8th of an inch height, _"Time to cut it up!"_

Sona twirled her knife in her hand and began to cut perfect 1/4th inch thick to 1/8th inch height noodles from the udon dough in rapid succession. "HAAAAAAAA!"

*TAT, TAT, TAT, TAT* the knife hit the cutting board in a rapid succession as perfectly cut udon noodles began fly away from her to stack in a neat pile.

The noodles were then put in a pot to boil, just as the broth she created in a separate pot was ready for her special touch.

" _And now,"_ She thought with a sinister sounding laugh as she waved her hands above the boiling pot, _"The most important ingredient."_

A magic circle began to form over the pot, _"I will add my magic to enhance the flavor of this ultimate udon dish. I will prove myself as the pinnacle of brides and make a dish so great Ambrose will weep in joy."_

"BWA HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

Sona Sitri proudly laid the perfect udon bowl in front of her new fiance. She had out done herself, and was certain she had out done any udon maker there ever was or would be. It was absolutely perfect and unmatched in every way. The noodles, the egg, the spring onions, it was all perfect.

" _I'm sure of it."_ She thought to herself. _"This is the first meal I've prepared for him, though I'm certain my future self cooked for him. I may not have the experience my future-self had, but I put all of my heart into it; I'm certain this dish is better than anything she's ever made him."_

"I-itadakimasu", Ambrose said with a slight waver to his voice. His hand shook with a slight tremor as he brought the noodles to his mouth to blow on it.

" _Poor dear."_ Sona thought, _"It must have been truly awful tea."_

Sona watched with bated breath as Ambrose slowly brought the noodles into his mouth. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited to hear the final verdict, the only verdict that mattered to her.

Ambrose's eyes widened in shock as the he began to chew her special udon. "It's good." he said softly, "I mean, it's really good." he then exclaimed loudly.

"Really?" Sona asked, relieved her hard work had paid off, "You really think it's good?"

"Honestly, I can't believe it's so good." Ambrose said as he took another bite. "I never knew you could cook udon so well.

" _I did it."_ Sona cheered in her mind, feeling proud to have created such a fine meal. As she began to eat her own udon, she noticed that Ambrose began to look and feel better than he had after he drank what was surely some awful tea from the locals. She felt proud to have created such a healthy meal, and her heart swelled even further when he asked for seconds.

"If you want, I could make you desert." She offered confidently.

"No!" Ambrose said quickly, "No, I couldn't possibly eat another bite. I'm stuffed." He began to rub his stomach to emphasize the point.

Sona could accept that, he did seem to eat her udon with gusto, _"And I wouldn't want to upset his stomach after that awful tea."_

"This reminds me," Ambrose said after a moment of thought, "I have something special for you as well."

"You didn't have to do anything." Sona replied with a blush.

"No, I insist. It's also part of your training, and you're going to love it." he replied confidently.

With a wave of his hand, Ambrose had magically cleaned and put away the dishes. He then cheerfully escorted her back up to his lab.

Sona was so happy that he looked so much better, and was quite curious to see what Ambrose had planned for her as they once again entered his lab. He offered a lab stool for her to sit on, and she couldn't help but feel a bit distracted by everything there was to see around her. It was less busy now that he had finished brewing, but there were so many strange things she couldn't identify.

"Have you ever heard of Lord Vladimir Czorvan?" Ambrose asked, going into a lecture mode. "He was a great Russian alchemist and sorcerer who became famous when he created the cure for the common cold. Not a terribly difficult potion, but an extremely popular one. One of the shared laws between all magical communities is the law which protects the intellectual property of an alchemist's creations. An alchemist doesn't have to share his recipes with the public if he doesn't want to, but has to leave detailed instructions on its creation in his will when he dies. This ensures the knowledge is passed on, while also securing the alchemists future by having a steady income during his life."

"A magical, alchemical, copyright." Sona said, following his line of thought.

"Exactly, just like I'm the only one who provides the cure to lycanthropy; Lord Vladimir was the only one to provide the cure to the common cold during his life. It made him very rich, but extremely busy due to the high demand. So, he came up with a solution, Lord Vladimir's Cauldron." Ambrose said, gesturing to the largest cauldron that was in his lab.

"What's so special about this cauldron?" Sona inquired.

"It's 'programmable'. Instead of constantly brewing the same potion over and over again, Lord Vladimir made a cauldron that could 'remember' how to make a specific potion. Using arithmancy and ancient runes he was able to enchant a cauldron that would create a potion over and over again perfectly, so long as you put the right ingredients in it. They're extremely rare, expensive, and each one is made by the alchemist who needs it because it only creates one potion over and over."

"And you made one that creates the cure to lycanthropy." Sona observed.

"Yes, but I also made another one for another special potion I created. A potion that's so complex and requires such precision that I, myself, have a hard time getting it right every time."

"What potion is that?" Sona curiously asked.

"I call it Osmosis." Ambrose merrily said, "and this potion allows someone to read and absorb the knowledge from an unlimited number of books instantly through magical osmosis."

"Shut The Hell Up!", Sona disbelievingly yelled with wide eyes.

"I'm totally serious." Ambrose replied, unphased by her outburst, "But with all great magic there are rules and limitations as to how it works. The first thing is the 'books by volume' limitation. Theoretically, you could fill a bottomless bag with an entire library and read the whole thing with this potion. However, there is a discrepancy when it comes to the type of the books and written works. Letters, notes, and novels are absorbed instantly, but skill based books require more than one dose in order to be absorbed."

"Why is that?" Sona asked, eager to learn more about this fascinating potion. _"To read and retain knowledge by magical absorption. I could free up so much time with this, I could even read the entire Imperial Repository of the Underworld!"_

"Well, skills are accumulative, they're built off of one another. You can't learn quadratic equations with out first learning how to add and subtract. So books that increase skills, such as logic and gardening take up to ten doses to fully master. I've acquired a rather large collection of books which include subjects like logic, handiness, science, and gardening. There's also an impressive collection of cooking, baking, and gourmet cooking books that not only include recipes but the techniques needed to create them as well." Ambrose remarked nonchalantly.

"Oh Am-chan!" Sona cried and rushed to hug him, "This is the greatest thing ever. I'm going to learn so much, I can't wait. When can we start? Can we start right now?" Sona asked excitedly, her passion for knowledge and learning was in full force.

"We can." Ambrose said, "But let me give you the full run down and warnings. This potion is poisonous in large doses. You can only take one dose every three hours, after that you can take another one. With skill based books it'll take up to ten doses to completely absorb the knowledge within it; normal books, notes, letters and novels will be absorbed instantly."

"So, 30 hours to master a skill, but regular books will be memorized instantly." Sona reasoned.

"Correct, the potion also has an extremely short shelf life, in fact you can't bottle it up and take it with you. It only lasts for about six hours before it goes bad, thus you can only get two doses per batch. So I'll have to make the five batches you need as you need it in order for you to completely read these skill based books. Now, here's the important part." Ambrose said in his lecturing mode once more. "While you can absorb these skills and increase your own knowledge, you must recognize that you haven't mastered anything. There's a difference between knowledge and experience. You can theoretically learn and memorize every single chess move there is, but without the experience of playing against someone you can never truly be a master at chess."

"Not everything is written in a book." Sona observed.

"Exactly." Ambrose said, smiling that she understood. "Not everything is written in a book, which is my next point. There are some skills you can't learn from books. You can't read a book on athleticism and be able to run a mile. You can't read a book on charm and charisma with out having the experience of being around other people. It can't teach you how to paint, or play a musical instrument. So while this potion is an excellent tool for learning, by no means will you be able to learn everything from it, nor will you be a master of what you've learned with out practice."

"So, I won't be able to make new cooking recipes perfectly." Sona reasoned, "I'll have the skill and knowledge on how to create them, but I'll have to practice making them in order to make them perfectly."

"Yes! Practice, lots and lots of practice makes perfection!" Ambrose insisted before he cleared his throat with a cough. "Now, are you ready to begin?"

The ingredients were placed in the cauldron and Ambrose activated a magic circle which caused the cauldron to glow and immediately create the desired potion is was programmed to do. Sona watched with complete fascination and excitement, and couldn't wait to experience it. She nearly ripped the bottomless bag full of books from Ambrose and eagerly took her first dose, shocked to find out that it was surprisingly good.

Her mind began to fill with ideas and knowledge that wasn't her own. She barely noticed that Ambrose had lead her to a comfortable looking couch, so focused was she on the new ideas that burst into her mind. Her eyes were then drawn to the sounds of the lab around her, as Ambrose began to work on other projects while her three hour time period between doses passed.

The lab began to fill with sounds, and her eyes once again found the antennas which had arcs of magic popping back and forth creating different color sparks each time it leapt from one antenna to another.

" _It's transmutation"_ , Sona suddenly realized, _"The magical act of changing the substance from one form to another. The metals on the antennas are constantly being transmuted into different elements. Each time the metal changes, it causes the smoke to change color when it's hit with electricity. Boron turns bright green, barium is the pale yellow, calcium creates an orange-red, copper is blue, non-halide copper is green, the gold sparks are made from iron."_

Sona blinked, surprised by the knowledge she she now had. "I know alchemy." She said in astonishment.

"You're beginning to." Ambrose said while looking at a thick orange liquid through a microscope, "You'll need a few more doses to absorb the complexities, and it'll take practice to make potions. With further practice you'll also be able to increase the yield and potency of those potions. However, Osmosis only gives you knowledge of what is already known and written down. To create something entirely new requires imagination and creativity."

Sona's eyes widened at the possibilities and implications, but her attention was soon drawn to the garden as she thought of the germination process it took for a seed to grow, then to the laptop and the fractal mathematics it took to direct electricity in the computer's CPU.

Sona shook her head, she was having trouble focusing on any one thing. "Did… did you drug me?"

"What's the definition of a drug?" Ambrose rhetorically asked while focusing on a plant which seemed to grow sacks of the orange substance he was previously inspecting.

Sona answered anyways, quoting the definition which came to the forefront of her thoughts. "A chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." She gasped in astonishment. "You Did Drug Me!"

"Technically you drugged yourself." Ambrose said with an amused chucked, "I doubt I could have stopped you if I had tried."

"I can't take drugs, I'm student council president, I'm a **[King]** , I have responsibilities." Sona exclaimed.

"But right now, it's just you and me, and you'll always be safe with me." Ambrose said, leaving his plant and taking her hand in comfort. "When we go back, I understand that you have other responsibilities. You have to be **[King]** and you take your duties to your peerage quite seriously. Be student council president, be the **[King]** of your peerage. But when you're with me, just be Sona." He said while kissing her head.

Sona sat back down on her couch and wondered, _"Can I do it, can I balance my responsibilities as a_ _ **[King]**_ _, while also be a good fiance to Ambrose?"_ She thought. _"He's not a devil, and I only have three_ _ **[Pawns],**_ _a_ _ **[Knight]**_ _,_ _and a_ _ **[Rook]**_ _left._ _If he were to be turned a_ _ **[Bishop]**_ _or_ _ **[Queen]**_ _would suit him best._ _I don't have enough pieces,_ _or the right pieces_ _to turn him. Rias might,"_ Sona frowned at the thought, _"Not that I would ever let her have him."_

It wasn't that she hated Rias, far from it in fact; they were childhood friends. But they were also rivals and she was a bit intimidated by Rias's ability to charm boys in general. Rias was beautiful, popular, charismatic, and very well endowed. While Sona would die before she ever admitted it, she was a bit insecure about her own breast size. The thought of Rias poaching 'her man' would not be tolerated and she vowed to never let Rias get her hands on Ambrose.

But if not Rias, who still had the majority of her pieces, then who could turn Ambrose into a devil? What piece would fit Ambrose best? Could a mutated piece work? As the inheritor of the Biblical God's power, Ambrose would certainly cause an uproar and be both feared and coveted. The Maōs would certainly get involved once Ambrose's secret of the **[** **Master Key** **]** was revealed.

" _Onee-sama?"_ , Sona thought as she remembered that her sister, Serafall, still had a piece remaining. _"Could he join Onee-sama? Would they even get along?"_ Sona wondered as she tried to imagine how they might interact. She began to observe Ambrose as he busied himself in his lab, completely in his element.

While he held the appearance similar to Maō Sirzechs Lucifer, she knew he wasn't Millicas and now only saw him as Ambrose her fiance. He was smart, apparently strong, but he moved with his own purpose and had his own goals. _"He would chafe under the yolk of a **[King]**."_ Sona realized and came to a sudden and startling realization.

"You don't want to be a devil." She voiced her thought aloud.

Ambrose stopped what he was doing, turned to her and gave her his complete attention. "What?"

"I was thinking about turning you into a devil, and I realized I don't have enough pieces to do it. I was trying to think who might have enough pieces or maybe a mutated piece to do so, but I just realized you wouldn't want become a devil."

"I do like being free to make my own choices and follow my own passions." Ambrose admitted, "The thought of having a **[King]** who I had to follow and obey isn't a particular pleasing one. Plus, I doubt the devils would welcome me, given what I am."

"It won't be easy." Sona reasoned, "Us, I mean. I don't think very many devils will accept us being together. If I still had the pieces I'd give you as much freedom as I could..." She pointlessly offered.

"Neither one of us would like that." Ambrose replied, "I know as a **[King]** you need to keep up certain appearances with your peerage. But I don't want to be your servant, Sona. I want to be your confidant, your support, your lover."

His admission both hurt and comforted her at the same time. It hurt that he didn't want to be a devil or a member of her peerage, but her heart warmed with the thought that he wanted to be hers.

" _Perhaps, that isn't such a bad thing"_ Sona admitted to herself. She didn't want a suck up boot licker for a husband. She wanted someone intelligent enough to challenge her, to be her intellectual equal or superior. With Ambrose, she got just that; it didn't matter to him that she was heiress to the Sitri family, a **[King]** , or even a devil at all. None of that mattered to him… _"He loves me for me, because of me.."_ , and Sona realized that it shouldn't matter to her if Ambrose was a devil or not.

" _He defeated me, and no where did it state that I had to marry a devil. Only the first man who defeated me in chess."_ Sona reaffirmed. _"Ambrose and I will change the future together. We will create a new future, follow our dreams, and forge our own paths; one where our love can exists. And if devils, the Maōs, or Angles have a problem with it they can go to hell."_


	6. Prequel Chapter 5

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Depending on the point of view, it was either very late at night or very early in the morning. Sona and Ambrose were all packed up for their extended journey out into the wasteland and were currently making their way outside the city wards. As they crossed the train tracks, Sona spent a moment to inspect the town's train. The main engine was only 12 feet long, and had she seen it in her time period it would have been considered a nice replica of a train from the early 19th century.

Sona couldn't help but sigh to herself as she not only could tell the train's paint was water based latex, but that the latex most likely came from the rubber trees they had past recently.

" _All this new knowledge will take some time_ _to get_ _used to."_ She ruefully thought with a sigh. While the idea of absorbing knowledge via magic sounded appealing, the phrase 'Careful what you wish for' also applied.

Since she had completed her 10 doses of Ambrose's 'Osmosis' potion her mind couldn't help but burst with facts and trivia that she could then cite by book, author, publisher, page number, paragraph and sentence line. Ambrose assured her that it would settle down and she'd get used to it. Apparently it took awhile for the mind to organize it all into what was and was not relevant. Still, while cumbersome, she was impressed that the potion worked as Ambrose described and quite honestly wanted to try it on her school books as well. _"That, and for the next time my peerage and I go to Kuoh's trivia night at the coffee shop."_

Instead of heading directly to the town boarders, the pair were heading to the center of the town, where Ambrose said there was a park with a monument near the lake. He stated that the wards wouldn't let anything living in or out of the town, and there was a secret exit hidden there.

As they silently made their way to the park and hidden exit, Sona took the time to look at the town she had only previously seen from Ambrose's hidden home. While Ambrose's house was ultra-modern and futuristic, these home were made out of brick and mortar, covered with plaster. There was very little wood in the architecture, as wood would naturally be a valuable commodity in this small post-apocalyptic community. As they moved close to the town center, she noticed the town seemed to be doing better than she had originally thought. They had stores, a library, a school, a community center, and ironically a church.

" _T_ _hey have indoor plumbing and electricity.",_ Sona reminded herself. _"A simple, but not overtly harsh existence."_

Ambrose broke the silence as they made their way to the secret exit. "Before I forget, you'll need this", he said while handing her a flower.

At first, Sona thought that Ambrose was being romantic, but as she looked at the flower she thought it was the strangest romantic gesture ever. It had the shape of a daisy but its petals were midnight black; however, the most disturbing thing about it was that its central disc was in the shape of a skull's face. It was quite honestly the most disturbing flower she had ever seen, let alone received.

"It's a death flower." Ambrose said, as an explanation. Noticing her confused look, Ambrose then asked "Do you know the story of how Persephone became Queen of the Realm of the Dead?"

Sona did know the story, though she had never met the Queen of the Dead herself.

Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter is the wife of Hades who rules the Realm of the Dead. However, it was well known that Hades and Persepohone did not have a happy marriage. As the story goes, Hades had fallen in love with Persephone but his love for her was unrequited. Never the less, Hades coveted and later kidnapped her to the Realm of the Dead.

Persephone's kidnapping did not go unnoticed and her parents Zeus and Demeter, so they searched for her, eventually discovering that she was held against her will by Hades. Zeus demanded that Hades release his daughter and after 3 months of negotiations Hades did so, but not before playing a trick of his own. He had fed Persephone three cursed pomegranate seeds and claimed it was an exchange of their wedding vows. Persephone claimed her innocence, saying she was ignorant that such a wedding custom existed in the Realm of the Dead; however, since she had eaten the food she was now married to him. In the end a deal was struck, Persephone would spend three months a year in the Realm of the Dead, symbolized by the three pomegranate seeds she ate. Every time Persephone was forced to leave her mother, Demeter, would weep and bring winter to the land of Greece.

"I'm familiar with the story of Persephone's kidnapping." Sona replied.

"So, how does Persephone return to Mount Olympus once her three months are up?", Ambrose asked, "One does not simply walk out of the Realm of the Dead."

"I imagine Hades tells his Grim Reapers that she's free to go." Sona reasoned.

"In a sense, he does. He gives her pass, a ticket which the Grim Reapers take as payment and allows the bearer a one time pass out of the Realm of the Dead and into the Lands of the Living." Ambrose said, "And you're carrying it."

"This ugly flower?" Sona asked, looking at it with surprise.

"Hades always sounded like a creepy guy to me." Ambrose remarked, "Doesn't it make sense he would give her some creepy flower in an awkward gesture to woo her? Once Persephone's time is up he gives her a death flower, which she then gives a Grim Reaper as payment for her trip back to Mount Olympus. And so, anyone who carries a death flower can have their life immediately returned to them if they provide it as payment."

"How did you get this?" Sona astonishingly asked.

"About a year ago, that is a year from our time period, I met a Tunisian woman named Tala who ran a small herbalist shop in the magical district of Paris next to the apothecary I own. We would exchange pleasantries, but nothing more than that until one day she was suddenly murdered." Ambrose recounted, "It was quite a big deal but then quickly hushed up. As it turned out her murderer was a Grim Reaper named Orcus and he was also her husband. He claimed that he was simply bringing her home in the most efficient means possible."

"Sounds like an unhappy marriage." Sona remarked with a frown.

"I thought so too, so I used my stone to summon her spirit for a little chat." Ambrose said with a grin. "She confirmed his story, that she was in fact married to him but it was a very abusive relationship. She told me that she had managed to steal a death flower from Hades' garden in order to escape the Realm of the Dead and her husband. But while the death flower allowed her to leave, it also alerted the grim reapers of her escape who then told her husband. That's why he knew to look for her in the Land of the Living. I saw an opportunity, so I made her a deal."

"I told her I would raise her from the dead if she could get another death flower and give it to me in payment in stead of a reaper. If the reapers didn't receive a death flower as an exit pass, then they all would naturally assume she was hiding in the Realm of the Dead, when in fact I had resurrected her. She accepted the deal; after she stole another flower I resurrected her and helped her set up with a new identity so she could safely hide on Earth. With that flower, Sona, you can resurrect yourself instantly after death. Simply give it to the reaper who comes to collect your soul and they'll bring you back to life. I want you to have it."

"I can't take this!" Sona exclaimed, "You need it. You said yourself that you could resurrect me, but you can't resurrect yourself. Not even the God of the bible could resurrect Himself."

"That's true, I can't resurrect myself." Ambrose admitted, "But with a death flower I can resurrect myself a finite amount of times, once for every flower I have on me. That's why I've learned to grow them in my own garden. It's a terribly difficult plant. One flower is the seed; you plant the flower in the ground and wait for it to grow a single flower. Once a single flower blooms, the plant dies."

"Then if Tala only gave you one, how did you grow many?" Sona thought, and quickly the answer she was looking for came to her. "You're resurrecting the plant, aren't you? Bringing it back to life so it can bloom another flower."

"Clever girl." Ambrose complimented while bumping his shoulder playfully against hers. "The wasteland is a dangerous place. While I will do everything in my power to protect you, something terrible might happen. If that happens I'll have to leave the wasteland, head back to Oasis, and use the stone and Ambrosia to resurrect you. This way you'll be instantly brought back to life through no effort on my part."

Once again Ambrose had shown her the impossible. Sona's future self had warned her that he frequently did this, but it was always one thing after another.

" _Ambrose, will I ever truly know you?",_ Sona wondered as they continued towards the park of Oasis and the secret path into the wasteland.

The park wasn't much, just a small open area with metal picnic tables. There were no carousels, or playgrounds. There was a stage for plays and concerts, and a line of trees that led to an obelisk which had a plaque mounted on it.

"Dedicated to Gargamel of Givery, Famed Prophet and Soothsayer. Founder of Oasis." Sona read from the plaque's inscription. "You credited your mentor Gargamel as the soothsayer?", she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My own personal joke on the old man." Ambrose said with an amused grin. "Gargamel hated fortune tellers and divination in general. He called them 'petit branleur qui n'est bon à rien', _[good for nothing little wankers]_ " Ambrose said, with the later part in his native French. "It's a bit ironic considering he was something of a clairvoyant himself."

With a wave of his hand, Ambrose's magic revealed a hidden staircase and the two began their decent down into a narrow tunnel which would lead to wasteland. The tunnel was small, cramped, and held no light whatsoever.

"He was clairvoyant?" Sona asked, wishing to know more about her fiance's past.

"He would never admit to being clairvoyant, but a lot of things he said to me wound up coming true." Ambrose commented as he led them on. The entrance behind them closed and they were encased in complete and total darkness, too dark for even a devil to see properly. Only then did Ambrose conjure a bit of light to help them both navigate their way.

" _Light that reeks of holy energy."_ Sona noted with a frown and instinctively drew away from it. The light was very small but extremely condensed and potent. He consciously kept it away from her in the palm of his hand, so she decided to let the matter drop and continue her inquiry. "What kinds of things did your mentor predict?"

"When I first met him I thought he was some crazy old man. Actually, that's exactly what he was." Ambrose said with a laugh. "I met him when I was a child while wandering the forest of Ardennes and he ran up to me screaming that he wanted me to make him immortal. I told him I couldn't, that I didn't know how. He continued to screamed at me, saying that he'd give me his soul in return if I would only help him to create a stone. That's how he made me his apprentice and gave me my name 'Αμβροσιος _μαθητευόμενος_ ', _[Immortal Apprentice]_ , or Ambrose the Apprentice in the common tongue."

"You're saying he knew you would become immortal and make your own stone?" Sona asked, "Why would he think a child could help him create one, or offer his soul in return for that matter?"

"Who knows, he was a crazy old man." Ambrose said with a shrug. "Crazy or not, he did raise me when I was very young, so I'm thankful for that."

"Have you ever summoned his soul with your philosopher's stone?" Sona asked as she followed him down the dark tunnel.

"No, we didn't have that kind of relationship; ours was more of a mentor and apprentice relation rather than any fondness." Ambrose replied, "He mostly screamed and made demands of me. He was obsessed with alchemy and constantly drilled everything he knew into my head so I could make him his stone. He was a 'crocheté vieillard', _[crotchety old man]_ , but he did teach me my livelihood and set me on my path. So, while I do respect him for what he did for me, I think I can be forgiven for poking fun at him in death by immortalizing him in stone as the fortune telling savior of humanity." Ambrose laughed.

Sona laughed a bit in return, "I'm surprised you didn't give the town a description of him so they could make a statue."

"I did." Ambrose laugh harder, "But they probably thought he was too ugly for his own statue."

Sona couldn't help but laugh out loud along with him.

As they continued down, deeper into the dark tunnel, Sona noticed there was a glow ahead.

" _Still too early for the sunrise."_ Sona noted, growing more and more curious as they approached the source of the light.

The tunnel opened up to a large magically created domed cavern that housed the source of the light, a large tree made from floating crystals that moved slowly and changed colors.

"It's beautiful," Sona commented, feeling no holy energy from the strange object. "What is it?"

"The ward stone and power source for the town." Ambrose said with pride, "One of my greatest creations."

Sona had seen ward stones before, but none that looked like this; most looked like large slabs of granite or obsidian with runes inscribed on them. She cautiously approached it, torn between her desire to examine it and respect for such a thing that could power and protect the entire town. An idea suddenly popped in her head, no doubt from her Osmosis experience, and she then looked around the cavern for confirmation.

"It's quartz!" She exclaimed proudly, "A crystal known for its resistance to wear, temperature changes, and it's ability to regulate both magic and electricity. You're using the ley lines to charge the quartz crystals and then to channel the magical energy to the ward scheme inscribed here on the floor." Sona said, moving around the cavern as she explained how it worked. "The excess magic then shifts the crystal pieces, causing them to move and create electricity for the entire town via piezoelectricity."

"Bravo." Ambrose applauded her with a pleased smile on his face.

Sona smiled back brightly in return, quite pleased with herself. She didn't quote a book that held all of that information, rather it was an accumulation of many books that brought the theory forth. Her mind was beginning to make sense of all the information she absorbed, and felt quite pleased she was able see a completely new concept and correctly deduce how it functioned.

Her smile didn't leave her as they left the underground dome, down another dark path. The pathway had remained a cavern with stalactites and stalagmites which littered about the place. Her magical sense, tuned to the affinity of water, could feel the currents of an underground river near by, though she couldn't hear or smell any running water. Finally, they approached an unassuming rock wall and with another application of magic Ambrose revealed the exit.

They left the cavern into a clear arid night with a large waning gibbon moon that hung above them. The town was completely invisible, and with no man made light around Sona could see more stars in the sky than she ever had seen before.

"It's so beautiful." Sona said as she gazed above, "I've always loved the stars; the underworld doesn't have any since it's an alternate phased dimension linked to this plane of existence. When I first came into the human world, I purchased a telescope so I could stay up late and stargaze. Even then I've never seen as many stars as this before."

"One of my first ideas to save humanity was to create an arc, pack it with as many people, plants, and animals as I could and sail it across the stars to another planet." Ambrose admitted wistfully.

"You made a time machine." Sona said, "I'm surprised you didn't make a space ship as well."

"Oh, I tried." Ambrose admitted as he lead them on, away from the hidden cavern exit. "But I haven't been able to figure out how to travel faster than light."

"Magic does allow one to travel large distances over a short period of time." Sona said, enjoying their intellectual conversation. "The manipulation of space-time is possible."

"I did manage to create two arches that did that." Ambrose admitted while continuing their journey. "Walk through one arch and exit immediately through its counterpart. Theoretically you could place the two arches anywhere and they'd remain linked. It's just like walking into another room. The trouble is getting one of the arches to another world as well as finding another world that's habitable."

Sona puzzled over that particular problem; amusing herself with not only trying to figure out how to get a gate to another world with out faster than light travel, but the thought of her own people traveling with humanity. _'Devils in space'_ , Sona thought with amusement as she puzzled over the concept.

" _Alpha-Centari is the closest star system, at 4.37 light-years away"_ Sona calculated using her new found knowledge and enhanced intellect, _"The fastest spacecraft of our time period travels at 45 km/s. Since a light year is 9,454,254,955,488 kilometers, it would take 6,662 years to travel to Alpha-Centari."_

"I can see why you abandoned that idea if you couldn't travel faster than light." Sona admitted after doing the calculations in barely a moment, "My first thought was to use sub-light engines but..."

"Shh." Ambrose said, and Sona realized she was so caught up in her thoughts that she had failed to pay attention to her surroundings.

" _The wasteland is dangerous"_ , Sona chastised herself for being distracted, _"I must always be aware of my surroundings."_

Sona discovered the town of Oasis was not, in fact, at the base of the mountain; it was in a large valley. The secret tunnel had allowed them to travel through to the other side of the mountain and currently they were looking over a precipice to the wasteland below. The ground beneath them fell steeply and as she began to look down to see how far it went Ambrose held his hand out to hold her back.

"It might not be safe.", he whispered.

"I can fly." Sona softly replied, "I do have wings."

"You might need them." Ambrose whispered back and grabbed a rock. "Get ready; if something happens, fly down as close to the mountain as possible. Don't fly in the open air and don't stop until we reach the bottom of the mountain."

Sona didn't know what he was thinking, but before she could ask he threw the rock an impressive distance away. With the bright moon, starry sky, and her enhanced vision, Sona easily traced the rock's path until it suddenly vanished by a black blur which shot up from below the visible precipice edge.

" _A dragon"_ , she realized with wide eyes. _"A dragon that was no doubt nested in a cave somewhere below the precipice."_

She watched as the dragon caught the stone in it's mouth only to promptly spit it out, angry that it wasn't actual food. It hovered in the air for a moment until its eyes found the two of them and menacingly snarled. _"A_ _angry_ _dragon!"_

"Go!" Ambrose yelled as he leapt off the edge.

Sona didn't have to be told twice and she leapt to follow him. She extended her wings for a controlled descent, staying as close to the mountain rock as possible. She weaved in and out of rocks, both gliding and falling, as the dragon took a dive straight at her. The dragon, however, missed her and crashed violently into the ground behind her as she continued her improv mountain descent.

" _The combination of velocity and close proximity to the mountain must affect its depth of perception."_ Sona thought before chastising herself again, _"Not now Sona!"_

Apparently, the dragon had family. Its boisterous crash not only sent rocky debris flying all around her, but also awoke other dragons who decided it was time for a late night snack. Sona decided to make things as difficult for them, and her, as possible and began to fly straight down the mountain rather than in a controlled glide. She flew past jagged rocks which would then explode from collisions from the diving dragons who were all too ready to make a meal out of her.

One by one they continued to crash into the mountain, and as she reached the bottom their attacks began to subside. The dragons were giving up and by the time she hit solid ground at the base of the mountain she felt safe.

Until a dragon landed quite harshly in front of her, knocking her down on her rear.

Sona was filled with terror as it began to slowly stalk her. Its red reptilian eyes focused in on her as a growl left it's foul mouth. "Ambrose!"

Suddenly, the dragon turned its long neck to look behind it, only for its head to promptly explode.

Sona scrambled to her feet in an effort to gain some distance from the twitching dead beast and saw Ambrose walk around from the other side of its corpse.

"What the hell was that?" Sona yelled.

"What the hell was what?" Ambrose asked with his typical patience that was starting to annoy her again.

"Where were you?" She yelled again.

"With you the entire time, you think those dragons were just going to give up as soon as you reached the foot of the mountain?" Ambrose calmly replied as he pointed behind him with his thumb.

Sona's gaze went back up the mountain side and saw it was littered with dragon corpses at various stages of dismemberment. She stood there a moment, shocked at the sight before her.

" _They didn't give up."_ , Sona astoundingly thought. _"He killed them all."_

"I-I don't think I'm ready for this", Sona admitted, hating herself for doing so. She felt weak, unprepared. She had allowed herself to be distracted by her own thoughts and not only walked right into danger, but also yelled at her savior.

"That's the point, that's why we're out here." Ambrose said. "No one is ready for this and there's no way to make you ready unless you experience it first hand. You never know how you're going to act the first time you're placed in a life or death situation, but you did well. You didn't panic, you kept your wits about you, and when you noticed the additional dragons you improvised."

"I did panic." Sona said, still upset with herself. "If I had thought clearly I could have fought it off."

"You could have fought that many dragons?", Ambrose asked surprised.

"Well, no." Sona said, "But I could have fought off one of them."

"But not the others?" Ambrose asked.

"I didn't know there were any others" Sona yelled back.

Ambrose gave her a look, like he was expecting her to figure something out on her own. She felt even more frustrated at that, like there was something there she hadn't figured out.

"How would you have fought the dragon, if there was only one?" Ambrose asked, as if trying to lead her to a conclusion or some sort of realization.

"I would have summoned a water serpent to aid me." Sona confidently said.

"Alright, do it." Ambrose said.

Sona concentrated and a magic circle formed in her hand. Slowly, water began to gather and accumulate in order to take the shape of her desire; however, the water was gathering far too slowly.

"What's going on?" She asked, worried that her magic wasn't behaving as it normally did.

"It's summer." Ambrose remarked, "The weather in this time period is rather extreme. There's not enough moisture in the air for you to gather enough water to take the shape you desire."

"But there was all that water in the ground." She protested.

"Can you summon that?" Ambrose asked.

Sona hung her head down, "No. I can't."

"Not yet, you can't." Ambrose corrected.

Sona questioningly looked at him.

"This is what I was talking about. Knowledge versus experience." Ambrose explained and then asked. "What kind of dragons were those?"

"I-I don't know" Sona replied, suddenly feeling stupid after she felt so smart only moments ago.

"They were Guivres" Ambrose told her.

" _A dark colored, extremely aggressive dragon known for living in communes with others of its kind, and for killing its prey by pouncing on it from high altitudes. They're given to attack humans at any opportunity so long as..."_

"Please tell me you didn't expect me to suddenly strip off all my clothes so the dragon wouldn't attack me?" Sona sardonically asked, recalling that Guivres wouldn't attack a naked human for some odd reason.

"No, I wouldn't want some perverted dragon to see you naked." Ambrose said with a wink Sona felt was too inappropriate for the moment.

"Not the time for flirting", she insisted.

"My point," Ambrose went on, "is that there will be unexpected things that happen. Now, I promised you, before we traveled in time, that I would always protect you. And that still holds true; I will always protect you, Sona. But I can't hold your hand. Believe it or not, you did a great job. You were in a life or death situation, you actually didn't panic, you followed my instructions, and you now know you need to learn how to recognize the beasts and the environment. But most importantly you now recognized that the knowledge you gained doesn't readily translate into knowledge you can apply."

"Only experience can do that." Sona said, realizing that if she fell into the situation again she might be able to handle it better. _"Or at least I'll know to_ _recognize a Guivre_ _and_ _can_ _get naked_ _in order_ _to save my life."_

She now knew to always be aware of her surroundings, she now knew the critical difference between knowledge and experience, she now knew the climate was actively working against her.

"This won't be easy." Sona said, voicing her thoughts.

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy." Ambrose said, "But it will get easier, I promise."

"What about my magic?" Sona asked, "I'm going to be at an extreme disadvantage so long as I can't properly conjure enough water."

"The rainy season is a few months away. Until then learn to do more with less." Ambrose suggested.

Sona didn't verbally replied, but gave him a look to let him know she was getting tired of his cryptic responses.

"I spent a lot of time with your future self, learning about her abilities and how she used them." Ambrose began lecturing once more. "I know you can conjure powerful water animals to aid you; eagles, serpents, lions, wolves, even dragons. I've seen you future self summon storms, manipulate the sea, and created a tsunami that flooded hundreds of miles. But the use of her power was big, with lots of water or moisture available."

He walked towards the dragon, its headless corpse now spilling blood onto the ground. "But I believe you can do better, become stronger than your future self ever was."

"How?" Sona asked, "How can I be stronger when she had 500 years of experience on me?"

"I managed to heal quite a bit of her," Ambrose remarked. "Her scars, her hand, I'm particularly proud to have regrown your lovely amethyst colored eye. But there were some parts of her I couldn't heal. The wounds of loss. Magic, as you know, is the manifestation of your will; but she lost so much of her will after the war that it stunted her magic. You are unburdened by that loss, you can become stronger than her."

Sona was getting frustrated, "I can't summon storms or control the sea. There isn't enough water around for me to even create a sparrow, let alone a dragon."

"She had the same problem." Ambrose admitted. "When the rainy season comes in a few months, that's when she had enough water to really let lose. But she couldn't do much in the summer either. I believe you can."

"What do I need to do?" Sona asked.

"Take the water from this corpse." Ambrose suggested, gesturing to the headless dragon.

Sona blinked, such a thing had never occurred to her. She wanted to ask him how he thought she could do it, but before she did she wanted to see if she could figure it out for herself.

She sighed after a few minutes when no answer came to her, "Can I have a hint?"

"Dehumidifier." Ambrose replied.

" _A device which absorbs the moisture in the air."_ Sona thought, _"My magic absorbs moisture in the air_ _but_ _I need to get it out of this corpse. Most dehumidifiers work by cooling coils in order to collect condensation, but I'm terrible at ice magic. Maybe if I compress the water within the corpse..."_

Sona focused on the corpse, trying to manipulate the water within it, compress it down. The dead dragon shifted and moved a bit, but it proved too difficult for her to manage and she gave up.

Sona gave a frustrated sigh as Ambrose went to inspect the corpse.

"You did manage to cool it down quite a bit.", he commented, "I thought you were terrible at ice magic."

"I am." Sona admitted.

"Maybe not as terrible as you thought. Perhaps that's something to work on in the future." Ambrose remarked, impressed by her effort, "But not the method for water extraction I had in mind."

Sona huffed and glared at the corpse, refusing to give up.

The sun was beginning to rise, Sona noted, and soon all the moisture will have evaporated.

" _Evaporation?"_ Sona thought, _"Both evaporation and dehumidification are similar, though one focuses on heat while the other cold and condensation. But I can't control the temperature, there_ _must be_ _another method. Well, there is desiccant humidifiers, which dries out the area around the moisture to extract it... I wonder..."_

Sona began to focus her magic again, but rather focusing on the dragon corpse itself she focused on the area surrounding it. Rather than trying to pull the water out of the corpse to a single focused point, she tried to drive whatever water there was away from the surrounding area that engulfed the corpse.

" _Forcing the water to gather when there's so little is too difficult."_ Sona realized as her magic began to respond, _"But dispersing the water_ _in such a dry environment_ _is easy."_

There was an immediate and noticeable reaction. The dragon corpse hissed loudly as water vapor began to escape its body. The corpse began to crack, break, and dry out as more and more water left the ruined body till she could extract no more.

Sona marveled at her accomplishment. The dragon corpse was now a dry husk and all the water that was in it was now in the surrounding area. She quickly summoned it, gathering it to a focal point and found she could manipulate it far easier now that the air held the moisture that was once in the dragon. In fact, she began to force the water to take the shape of a miniature version of the dragon just she extracted it from.

"I did it." She said astonishingly and then yelled. "Ambrose, I Did It!"

Ambrose laughed, sharing in her accomplishment. "You sure did, well done." He said as he went to inspect the dragon once more. He touched the dragon's claw and both of them were surprised to see it crack and fall completely off, parts of it blowing away in the wind. "Wow", Ambrose said amazed, "That's even better than I expected. You completely dehydrated it."

Sona laughed in joy and excitedly rushed to hug him tightly.

* * *

" _Hot."_

The sun was out, high over the couple's heads and bore down on them with an intensity Sona had never felt before. But she was Sona Sitri; she was disciplined, hard working, and would not be reduced to complaining.

" _So hot."_

At least, she wouldn't complain out loud.

It wouldn't have been so bad if they could fly at a higher altitude. The air temperature would be a lot cooler in the sky. However, there were the Aspises; small, venomous scavenger dragons that flew in large flocks. Ambrose explained how they were like vultures that would seek out dying or dead creatures to eat; however, they wouldn't pass up an easy meal like them. There were hundreds of them currently flying above, no doubt on their way to feast on the carcasses of dragons the two of them left on the mountainside. As time went by, more and more large flocks seemed to head in that same direction. So rather than fly high in the cool sky, they flew low to the ground; skimming along the hot desert surface while she tried to sense any source of water along the way. Water she desperately needed.

Sona took a drink from her canteen while noting that it was only half full; her mood plummeted even further.

When Ambrose had suggested they fill their canteens with the water she extracted from the dragon corpse, Sona thought it was a great idea. She would easily be able to transport water so that she could have it readily available in order to defend herself. Unfortunately that was not the case as Ambrose had explained that he didn't bring any water, their survival now depended on her ability to find and collect water from wherever she could.

With that in mind, he told her to sense water from wherever she could and lead them in that direction so long as that direction headed west. Apparently they were heading towards the migratory path that all the creatures would take as the rainy season arrives. So not only was it unbearably hot, not only were they running out of water, but they were headed straight for large herds of dragons and other dangerous carnivorous creatures. Creatures who were no doubt hungry as they were thirsty, and would view them as an easy meal.

" _So much to look forward to."_

But she wouldn't complain, she wouldn't complain about the beasts, her thirst, or how Ambrose seemed to be completely and annoyingly unaffected by the heat. Sona Sitri wouldn't complain, but she would glare at him.

"There's a large outcropping up ahead," Ambrose said gesturing ahead, "We should rest in the shade until the sun goes down a bit."

Sona only nodded in response. _"Best thing that's happened all day."_ , she thought privately.

" _No, that wasn't true"_ , Sona corrected herself as they changed their flight path, _"The best thing that happened today was discovering this new power I have. The power to not only draw water from an enemy's corpse, but to_ _also_ _use it alongside my ability to manipulate water._ _With each enemy I kill, my lethality increases;_ _a_ _truly_ _powerful technique. I wonder if I can get it to work on a living being."_

" _Theoretically it's possible."_ Sona thought while they headed towards the small visible rocks which lay ahead. _"The trouble with that is that living things tend to move, so I'd have to increase the area around the creature_ _to ensure_ _that it didn't move out of the area of effect. If I could get it right, not only could I extract water from a living creature, but potentially create a field large enough to affect multiple opponents at the same time."_

Her thoughts halted as they arrived at their respite. Sona reminded herself that there could be hidden dangers and Ambrose seemed to have the same idea. They both took a moment to inspect the outcropping of rocks, looking for insects, snakes, and other threats. Sona couldn't help but feel dismayed as the rocks provided very little protection from the sun. There was no shade created from an overhanging or roof, so they would have to huddle up close to one of the larger rocks in order to cool off.

As they settled down in the little shade the rocks provided, Ambrose reached out and held her hand. Sona gasped in astonishment that his hand was so cool, in fact it seemed to be growing colder.

"That's cheating." She said, realizing that he was some how cooling off his body with ice magic.

"Is it? I'm not competing against you, Sona. I'm on your side." Ambrose replied as his hand moved to the back of her neck and a moan of absolute relief escaped from her; she couldn't help but tilt her head to allow him easier access. "You're providing all the water, so I'm relying on you for survival. Seems only fair that I do my part to help cool you off. Are you complaining?"

"I don't complain." Sona insisted. She knew he was teasing her, but quite honestly the feeling of his cold hands on the back of her neck felt marvelous. She grasped his hand and directed it to her face, covering her cheek and forehead.

"Here." Ambrose said, moving so he sat directly behind her with his legs on either side.

Sona laid her head back against his chest, allowing his entire body to envelop her, soothingly cooling her down.

"Oh Maō." She moaned in absolute bliss. His chest began to cool her sweaty back as she continued to guide his hands and arms across her hot perspiring body. "My own private air conditioner."

"Glad to be of service." Ambrose whispered sensually in her ear, "Thought you might have hated me by now, given everything I've put you through."

Sona looked up at him, her own hand reaching back to stroke his cool cheek, "You have your moments, but I think I'll keep you." She teased and leaned back to capture his lips.

" _This, this is the best thing that's happened today.",_ Sona thought as she continued to kiss his lips. His lips were cool, his tongue even cooler, and his breath seemed to almost fill her and chill her from within as his cold hands began to roam across her hot sweaty body. Hands that now roamed across her breasts and stomach, providing her with sweet relief from the heat. She broke the kiss after she began to feel a very warm sensation build from within her core.

Sona gave him a disapproving look with a teasing smile. "You're suppose to be cooling me off, not getting me hot."

"Couldn't help myself." Ambrose replied, while kissing her forehead and allowing them to settle once more in their cool embrace.

"You're pretty good at this." Sona remarked, wanting to pass the time till the sun began its descent.

"Ice magic comes pretty naturally to me." he replied, "One of my specialties that doesn't require my **[Sacred Gear]** ".

"Is there any other magic you specialize in?" Sona inquired.

"Just freezing and destroying things." Ambrose replied while looking out to the horizon.

"Freezing and destroying, huh?" Sona thought, "You'd get along well with my sister."

"Oh?" Ambrose asked.

"Ice magic is her specialty, and she always threatens to destroy things when she doesn't get her way." Sona commented, "You didn't know this?"

"I knew about your sister using ice magic, but not about destroying things." Ambrose said somberly, "You… your counterpart didn't speak of her often."

" _That makes sense"_ , Sona reasoned, _"The thought of losing Onee-sama is difficult enough for me to even consider. I can't imagine what it was like to experience it. She probably didn't mention a lot of things."_

"Tell me more about your **[Sacred Gear]** ," Sona said, wanting to move the conversation away from thoughts of her sister. She was beginning to miss her, and talking about her counterpart's loss certainly wasn't helping. "You said the **[Master Key]** was the collection and culmination of all **[Sacred Gear]** s. Does that mean you can create any **[Sacred Gear]**?"

"No, not create." Ambrose replied, "It's more like it has the ability to mimic or replicate the powers of other **[Sacred Gear]** s. I've never compared it to other **[Sacred Gear]** s, technique to technique, so I don't know if it can hold a candle to the originals. Quite honestly, I learned more about the **[Master Key]** with the help of your counterpart than I ever did alone."

"How so?" Sona inquired.

She immediately regretted asking when Ambrose removed his cool embrace from her presence in order to give her a demonstration.

Ambrose summoned a small ball of holy light in the palm of his hand, the same light he held as they absconded from Oasis. He closed his hand into a fist, squeezing the light until it burst out into the shape of a rod he could wield as if it were a sword. Sona had seen records of the light spears from fallen angels before. Her sister had showed them to her in order to warn her of the dangers she might face in the human world; though privately Sona thought her sister did it to discourage her from leaving the Underworld in the first place.

This rod of light wasn't as intricate or as 'decorated' as the light spears she had previously seen. It was simply a rod of white light, but its simplicity hid deadly potency as she instantly became extremely wary of its presence as soon as it was conjured.

"This is the **[Master Key]** in its first and most basic form. You, that is your future self, became very curious about it and its abilities, despite the instinctive fear it gave her. She was determined to find out not only its capabilities, but my own personal ones as well." Ambrose explained.

"What do you mean? Why study both you and it?" Sona inquired.

"By the time I met her, the Old Deus was truly dead and **[Master Key]** was apart of me. But Future-Sona noticed that it influenced certain powers of mine. When I use certain powers like fire or water, it's actually created holy fire and holy water."

Sona's eyes widened at the admission.

"Other powers, like ice and destruction, didn't contain any holy energy what so ever. She theorized that powers I used that didn't hold any holy energy were my own natural powers, while the others that did contain holy energy came from the **[Master Key]**. She also told me about the **[Sacred Gear]** s she had personally come into contact with so that I could try to mimic them. For instance, I can use it to reflect attacks directed at me, doubling its power."

"Tsubaki's **[Mirror Alice]**?" Sona asked with wide eyes.

"Yes.", he confirmed, "I can't summon a mirror, nor can it create one. But I can use the rod to swat and reflect attacks, just like **[Mirror Alice]**. There were other **[Sacred Gears]** she also had me mimic, ones she knew about." Ambrose then tossed the rod of light to his right. It spun in the air and planted itself directly in the ground. From there, many rods of light burst forth from the ground."

"Kiba's **[Sword Birth]** " Sona said in astonishment.

Ambrose didn't reply to her comment. Instead he reformed the small ball of holy light in his palm and as squeezed it, once more returning it to a rod as the light which had burst from the ground disappeared.

"Just like **[Sword Birth]** , I can also imbue this rod with alternate elemental energies." Ambrose continued. The rod of light turned orange with holy flame, then light blue with holy water, and finally a cool light blue as it became ice.

Ambrose began to frown in concentration. Sona noted that he was focusing on the beam of light, struggling with it and in turn the rod began to flicker darkly for a bit till it suddenly disappeared.

"When I use ice magic by itself it contains no holy energy. When I imbue the **[Master Key]** with ice, the **[Master Key]** takes on properties of the ice and turns it into holy ice so long as the **[Master Key]** stays active. However, I can't seem to imbue it with my destructive power. It seems the **[Master Key]** has trouble absorbing it."

"Destructive Power?" Sona asked, a familiar suspicion began to reform. A suspicion she had previously dismissed.

Ambrose nodded in return, he turned to face the empty desert and began to gather his strength. An extremely potent demonic aura, dark and red, formed around him as he held out his hand. A condensed ball of dark red energy burst forth and flew into the distance creating a powerful explosion.

Sona stared with wide, disbelieving eyes at the destruction he created. There was no debris, instead the explosion completely annihilated the desert ground creating a perfect spherical crater she could probably calculate pi from.

" _That was definitely the Power of Destruction."_ Sona astonishingly observed, _"The ability once held exclusively to the Bael clan and_ _now_ _inherited by the Gremory siblings._ _And the ice; the_ _Lucifuge clan,_ _the family of Grefia Lucifuge_ _and_ _Milicas's mother,_ _were the original masters of ice magic. C_ _ould it be? Could he actually be Millicas and inherited the Power of Destruction from Maō Lucifer? If so how, how could he have_ _ **[Sacred Gear]**_ _?"_

As Sona's mind raced with unanswered questions while Ambrose remained unaware of Sona's thoughts and continued his explanation.

"The rod of light is only the first form of my **[Sacred Gear]** , the true form of the **[Master Key]** is the shape of seven light wings...", Ambrose continued but was interrupted.

"Stop, stop, stop", Sona insisted, "Just stop. I have to tell you something..."

* * *

Sona had told him everything, about Millicas, about Ambrose's possible origins, about who he really could be. She wanted to lay it all out so that maybe they both could prove or disprove this crazy theory once and for all.

Sona only wished he had taken it well.

Ever since she had arrived to this time period, it had been Ambrose who had given her lectures, educating her, revealing secrets, teaching her about her own powers, and her future. Now, it seemed like the shoe was on the other foot as she told secrets about his possible origins. Ambrose had listened to everything she had to say, only asking a few questions for clarification; and then he sat and held her in his cool embrace saying nothing till the sun began to set.

With out a word, he rose and pulled out a tent from his rucksack to make camp for the night. The first time he spoke was when Sona asked if he wanted a campfire. There was no wood, and Ambrose asked if she wanted to eat anything that had been cooked with a holy flame.

The very thought made her sick to her stomach, but she was thankful for his attempt at humor.

"Fire drakes and western dragons kill with flames, so an open fire will attract all sorts of attention." Ambrose explained. "And at night an open flame can be seen a great distance. Aspises will take particular interest."

Sona nodded in return, but her thoughts soon turned to what they were having for dinner. The thought of dragon didn't sound too appealing after this morning's mountain incident.

Sona was surprised to find out that dinner did consist of dried meats, cheese, and trail mix; items with a long shelf life and required no cooking. Though as they sat silently with their meals, Sona had never felt further away from him. She wished she could some how comfort him, or even know what he needed. Sona hoped time was what he needed, so she gave it to him.

"My earliest memories were from an orphanage." Ambrose said suddenly while lost in thought. "I hated it there. I don't remember how I got there, but I do remember that I was the new kid. Everyone already had friends and it seemed like no one wanted to play with me. They didn't like me, and there was always something that was different… When they wanted to sing hymns, I'd sneak of to go fishing. The sisters would teach bible study, and I'd run off to the kitchens to help instead."

"It was a church?" Sona asked.

"A church and an orphanage." Ambrose clarified.

"A devil can't read any words from the bible, and to hear a hymn is like nails on a chalkboard." Sona remarked.

"That damned organ was so terrible, it made my ears ring." Ambrose said, wincing at the memory. "One day someone decides to put on a play, a play about Noah's Arc. Heard the story?"

"I heard the devil's side" Sona said, "God was upset that the devils were successfully teaching the humans how to live free without Him. So He picked His favorites had them build a boat and flooded the entire area."

"That's actually close to what they say too." Ambrose remarked, "But they make it sound like a miracle simply because the Old Deus gave Noah advanced warning. The play, however, was about the arc and how all those animals got on it. But the orphanage didn't have any animals, only cardboard cut outs. So I went to the library and gathered pictures of as many animals as I could find and with a bit of magic I made the animals leap from the pages."

Sona couldn't help but smile at the thought of an innocent Ambrose as a child causing a bit of mischief.

"Dogs, cats, zebras, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, elephants, lions, tigers, and bears." Ambrose said "If there was a picture of it, I would bring the animal out into the real world. Eventually the entire thing got away from me. All the animals stampeded out of the library, through the orphanage and into the church. The stampede wound up destroying the entire place."

"That's kind of funny." Sona admitted with a light laugh.

"Yeah", Ambrose said with a smile of his own. "Though it wasn't funny at the time. Everyone was so mad at me, they said I was evil for being able to cast magic, and a devil for destroying the church. I had never really fit in there to begin with, so I hopped on a camel and headed north."

"A camel?" Sona disbelievingly asked, _"_ _Ironic since the Gremory family mascot is a camel."_

"Yeah, one of the ones I conjured from the National Geographic pages."

"Was this orphanage in Italy?", Sona asked.

Ambrose only nodded in return.

"You realize what this means, don't you?" Sona asked.

"It means nothing."

"Ambrose", Sona said with wide eyes, shocked he would say such a thing.

"It means nothing." Ambrose clarified. "I have **[Sacred Gear]**. I can't have **[Sacred Gear]** if I'm a pure-blood devil. Plus Holy Magic and Demonic Auras are opposing forces. And let's not get started on the whole 'Son of Lucifer' thing."

"He's actually not a bad guy." Sona said, trying to reason with him.

He took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm himself before he continued. "Let's ignore the fact that only humans are born with **[Sacred Gear]** s and that a pure-blood devil like Millicas couldn't possibly have one. Let's also ignore the fact that holy and demonic energy can't co-exist within the same being without annihilating each other. Let's say it's true, that I am Millicas and for some inexplicable reason I have the **[Master Key]**. I can't prove that I'm Millicas. My DNA has been changed by the Old Deus. Then there's the fact that I can use holy energy. Well, the Angels will immediately go to war if there's a devil who's the inheritor of the Old Deus's power. That's assuming, of course, the devils don't kill me just for having this power. And even if I'm not Millicas I'll still become an enemy of the Devils if it's ever discovered I have the **[Master Key]** , and if they even suspect that I might be Millicas then they'll want to do test and could possibly find the **[Master Key]**. The outcome of any of those events is a war, which is what I'm trying to avoid."

"So, none of that matters. The only thing that maters is the wasteland," he said gesturing to the wasteland, "Stopping all of this from happening. If any one, any one of the factions finds out about the **[Master Key]** they're all going to have a new toy to fight over, when all I want to do is stop them from fighting."

"So what was your plan?" Sona asked, "To never tell anyone that you've inherited the Biblical God's power?"

"The first part of my plan is to prevent the initial attack on you and your peerage from ever happening. The Battle of Kuoh happens very soon and it's the catalyst which reignites the Final War. Once that objective is complete I'll have the time I'll need in order to infiltrate the Khaos Brigade." Ambrose explained.

"And what is the Khaos Brigade?", Sona asked, recalling that her future-self had mentioned them.

"The true driving force that's pushing the Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels into war with each other. A broken collective made up of two different factions, each with their own purpose and has their own splinter groups." Ambrose began to explain. "The largest faction is the Old Satan Faction, whose members include the descendants of the original Satans: Asmodeus, Beelzbub, Leviathan, and Lucifer. They're broken up further into a sort of rogue group of Yōkai and misfits lead by the White Dragon Emperor, Vali Lucifer. Their goal, should be quite obvious."

"To over throw the current Maōs." Sona said aloud, her thoughts going to her Onee-sama.

"And to continue the Great War in order to fulfill the original Lucifer's work and conqueror Heaven. However, they learned something from the devil-civil war; they learned cunning. Why should they fight Heaven, Fallen Angels, and the current Maōs if they can get the three factions to attack each other and weaken themselves?" Ambrose continued. "The second faction is the Hero Faction, the group I consider to be more dangerous."

"More dangerous than the Old Satans?" Sona asked with surprise.

"Absolutely." Ambrose affirmed. "You should never underestimate the little guy, especially when they've got nothing to lose. The Hero faction is lead by the descendant of Cao-Cao, and is made up of other descendants of heroes. They also had a splinter group of Magicians who created their own sub-faction. Many beings, Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, and Gods will underestimate them. The Hero faction will come to them in friendship offering information or favors, but will betray them at an opportune time. They gather relics and as many supernatural weapons they can; **[Sacred Gear]** , Holy Swords, Demonic Swords, and Longinus wielders will also be recruited. Their goal is simple, to kill every supernatural being on Earth or failing that drive them to the Underworld, and ensure Earth remains for only humans."

"That's... that's crazy." Sona said with shock. "Sure, devils are from the Underworld, but there are Yōkai, vampires, and many other supernaturals who call Earth home. The statue of secrecy is in place and it works; the humans are completely unaware."

"Except the Hero Faction is prepared to break the secrecy and let humans know the truth." Ambrose said, "Once all the humans become aware of the supernatural the Hero Faction will suddenly become a real threat."

"Why would these two factions join together?" Sona questioned. "Between descendants of Heroes and the Old Satans it seems to me that they would have very little reason to cooperate."

"You're right," Ambrose admitted, "and each faction plans to betray the other when it benefits them most. The Old Satan Faction doesn't think much of the Heroes, only as cannon fodder to their goals. However, they do keep a few spies in the Magician splinter group of the Hero Faction. Alternately, the Hero Faction is gathering relics and various magical weapons so they can eventually take on the Old Satan Faction. They not only plan to weaponize humanity by revealing the secret of supernaturals, but they're also striking deals with supernaturals who can help them fill their goals. Individuals like Hades the ruler of the Land of the Dead and Evil-Dragons who are lead by Crom Crauch."

"It is my hope to infiltrate the Khaos Brigade and relay information to you, maybe even take out a few so long as it's discrete. Thanks to your counterpart, I know some of the relics and items they want to go after. So I plan to steal them ahead of time, and plant some of them on the other faction."

"To divert attention from the possibility of a spy outside the Khaos Brigade." Sona reasoned. "You want to turn them against each other so they destroy themselves."

"Why not? It's what they plan to do to the Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels. It seems rather fitting." Ambrose admitted, "However, despite all their differences they are united by one thing. Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, is the founder and leader of the Khaos Brigade. Her goal is to defeat Great Red, the Dragon of Dragons, and reclaim the dimensional gap as her own to achieve 'Silence'. She plans to accomplish this by creating a War of all Wars in order to gain the attention of Great Red and bring him to the Final Battle of the Final War. Once Great Red arrives, everyone from every side will then be forced to fight Great Red or die before him."

"The End of Days." Sona said with wide eyes.

"Indeed. And Ophis's plan works." Ambrose said, "When Great Red is destroyed and Ophis immediately turns her power on every survivor, Khaos Brigade included. She's infected all the evil-dragons and created even more monsters in this world in an effort to destroy all life forever."

"But why?" Sona asked, "Ophis gets what she wants, she can go back to the dimensional gap in peace."

"Ophis is a selfish dragon who cares about nothing in this world." Ambrose remarked. "She's so selfish that she can't even share the dimensional gap, the infinite space between universes, with one other being who happens to be a dragon like her. If she can't share an infinite place with one of her own kind, and she requires the strength of others to destroy her rival..."

"She'll destroy all those who could be a threat to her," Sona reasoned, "She'll destroy everyone to ensure that she can never be challenged."

Ambrose nodded his head in confirmation.

"Do you have a plan to deal with Ophis?" Sona asked, "Ophis's power is said to be infinite."

"That's a misnomer." Ambrose said, then clarified. "There are some beings who naturally exist outside of this universe, beings who originate from the dimensional gap. Unlike beings who are born in this universe, the beings who come from the dimensional gap find the gap to be a source of great and infinite power. Ophis is one of these beings, Great Red is another. There's also this really nasty chimera called Trihexa, and the Old Deus was also one. The Old Deus created this universe, Heaven, and the Underworld; but His power originates from the dimensional gap. Ophis didn't care about the Old Deus, so long as He stayed out of the dimensional gap. Her problem was Great Red, so Ophis went to the Old Deus to ask for His help to kill the Dragon of Dragons but He refused."

"The original Lucifer learned of this and approached Ophis with a plan. Lucifer told Ophis of Trihexa, the Emperor Beast of Apocalypse, and that a fight between the Old Deus and Trihexa would gain Great Red's attention causing the Dragon of Dragons to leave the dimensional gap, away from his power source, and become vulnerable. Together, they tracked Trihexa down and set it upon the Old Deus. Since Trihexa is also a being from the dimensional gap, the normal advantage the Old Deus had from fighting something that was born from within His own creation, this universe, was gone. The fight went on, the Old Deus was wounded and could not match Trihexa's savagery. So He sealed the beast away with over a thousand forbidden seals, successfully imprisoning Trihexa but further weakening Himself."

"It was in this moment that the Old Lucifer attacked the Old Deus, and the final battle between the two began. In the end, both the Old Deus and Old Lucifer died. Heaven would go on to lick its wounds, and the devils would go on to fight in the Devil-Civil War. Later, Rizevim Livan Lucifer approached Ophis, saying that the original plan was a good one; only that the fight wasn't big enough. Ophis agrees, and together they have been secretly gathering forces to make the War to End All Wars. Each faction of the Khaos Brigade has its own agenda, each plans to betray the others, but Ophis plans to betray them all. She plans to sacrifice all worlds in order to achieve her goal and once it's done she'll destroy everything to ensure she can never be challenged again. I'm going to infiltrate them, and poison the whole thing from within. I'm going to use my time here to get even stronger, to hopefully save more supernaturals and learn more about the events which cause all this. But in order to defeat Ophis I have to keep her unaware of my power and abilities, they all have to underestimate me."

"And what's my role in all of this?" Sona asked.

"If I'm going to be a spy I have to have a handler. Someone to relay information to and receive information from." Ambrose said. "You'll have to relay that information to the Maōs so they can defend themselves against the attacks. Hopefully we can get the Maōs to relay information to their Girgori and Seraphim counterparts."

"It seems like a rough outline. Not very detailed plan at all." Sona remarked

"It has to be rough outline; the more changes we make to the timeline the less viable the information your future self provided becomes." Ambrose said. "Ideally if we can save some people from the Underworld, set them up with a hidden town of their own like Oasis, we just might be able to gather more information on the Khaos Brigade's plans. We could always travel to the future, learn what they experienced, and any changes in history could be relayed to us by actual survivors."

Sona realized that was true. Her future-self no longer existed so no new information could be gleaned, but if they could some how save the denizens of the Underworld, people who lived longer and could remember, they could come back to a changed future to further refine their strategy.

"Come on, it's getting late and you should get some sleep. I'll take first watch." Ambrose said.

Sleep did not come easy to Sona that night, or any other night they occupied the wasteland; the magnitude of their mission weighing heavily on her.


	7. Prequel Chapter 6

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

The oppressive heat began to dissipate as the weeks and months went by leaving in its wake hordes of monsters. And just as the local monsters and dragon population increased, so too did Sona's powers.

Swarms of beasts now fell before her and turned to dust, leaving behind the siphoned water which she then used to completely eradicate all but the most fearsome of creatures. Fearsome creatures such as the large red fire drake which now menacingly stood in front of her. Its crimson scales were too thick and hardened to dry out, its breath was too fiery for any water creature to attack effectively. Sona nimbly dodged its tail strike and had to console herself that there were some foes that were currently beyond her reach; thankfully help was never too far away.

"Go on. Shoo" Ambrose said while swatting the fire drake away as if it were a bothersome insect.

His **[Sacred Gear]** was summoned and in its true form; that of seven light wings.

" _Wings might be too generous of a term"_ Sona privately thought to herself.

The **[Master Key]** had no feathers, though they did bend like wings. They were seven blades of pure white light, three on each side of his back with the seventh hanging down like some sort single tail feather. Sometimes when fighting a single beast one on one, Ambrose would grab the seventh 'tail' wing and wield it like sword. Whenever Ambrose was feeling a strong emotion the light wings would glow brighter, radiating holy light; Sona thought it was beautiful, yet being a devil in its presence was terrifying.

Despite the instinctive fear it brought to Sona, Ambrose insisted she get used to it; saying that not only would it help build trust between them but that she would start to build up a tolerance to light and holy magic in general. It was a difficult, but Sona couldn't argue with the logic behind it; Ultimate Class Devils were renowned for having built up a tolerance to holy magic and if she were going to have a similar resistance then it would be with someone she trusted; one could not find a more potent source of holy magic than the **[Master Key]**.

Never the less, Ambrose was cautious about how much exposure to the **[Master Key]** she received. He would often stay a good distance away and observe her while she fought off the waves of dragons and beasts, at least until she came across large legendary beasts such as the fire drake now facing off before her.

" _This welsh dragon is being particularly obstinate."_ Sona thought and watched as the hulking red behemoth opened its maw to no doubt breath red hot flames on her fiance.

She'd be worried if she hadn't seen this act before.

Ambrose wasn't phased by the dragon's 'bravado'. In fact he seemed annoyed at the dragon's attempt to attack him and quickly shot a condensed destructive blast down the dragon's throat, blowing its head into pieces.

"Normally they just fly away from you when you show up." Sona said as she dusted herself off, "What was with that one?"

"It's part of being a Dragon Slayer, as you'll find out." Ambrose remarked, "It's not just a name, it's a mark. Something unseen to all but dragons. They know you've killed their kind before. The weaker or smarter ones will run away from you. The stronger or more stupid ones will seek you out in order to fight you. The more dragons you've killed, the stronger the mark is and the more extreme reaction you'll get from them. You'll see, you've killed enough dragons to be considered a Dragon Slayer. Right now they're all simply seeking to challenge you."

"And here I thought it was just the season," Sona said, realizing she had been fighting more and more as the weeks went by, ", that it was all the beasts migrating to keep up with the upcoming weather changes."

"It's that too." Ambrose agreed, "But they've already begun to sense you, to seek you out and prove themselves against you. Dragons are ornery and they'll want to prove they're stronger than any foe."

Sona took a moment to consider the changes this might make if dragons were actively going to seek her out. As she gazed across the bodies of today's kills she noticed that the sun was starting to set. "We'd best start to move on." Sona commented, "The sun is setting soon. We should put some distance between us and the kill-zone so we're not fighting all night again."

The pair had settled into a routine; Sona would place herself along the path of the largest herd of beasts she could find and lay waste to them. Hovering high in the air, Sona would siphon the water out of an approaching flock of Aspesis or other group of small beasts and turn them into dust. She would then use the water she gathered to create various creatures to destroy any other monsters that were unfortunate enough to cross her path. Every kill she would make would increase the amount of water available for her to command. A deadly combination of dehydration and then creating water creatures to fight almost all the monsters who came before her. The scent of blood would attract other monsters and Sona would continue to lay waste until all the creatures were dead and dried, or she met one large enough like this fire drake or the moorwen they had ran into last week. Once the sun started setting they would gather what water remained, shower, fill up their canteens, and move away to camp for the night only to do it again the next day.

Weeks and months went by as they would train to improve Sona's skills. Ambrose believed that through hardships and trials one's skills would drastically improve, Sona couldn't fault his logic nor the results. Never before had she imagined that she could become so powerful so quickly; Sona Sitri had never felt stronger, that is, until the day came when a huge storm appeared on the horizon. She quickly learned that the dragons and monsters weren't moving towards fresh water, they were moving away from it.

Ambrose had called it "the rainy season", though Sona felt that he clearly understated just how much rain fell. At first it was a deluge; savage storm which poured down a constant stream of water on the desert. Then the desert disappeared, it was as if the tide of some far away ocean came in and turned the desert floor into a sea bed and Sona and Ambrose soon found themselves cast away.

But despite the torrents of rain which endlessly fell and the great ocean which reformed the desert and removed all solid ground beneath their feet, Sona didn't complain.

She, Sona Sitri, had become a terrible sea devil who destroyed all who came before her.

Never before had her power come so effortlessly, never before had she commanded such and endless supply of water. After months of struggling to command the smallest amounts of water vapor from the dry desert, her magical strength had grown to the point where even the sea bent to her will. All creatures fell before her, even a herd of Welsh fire drakes who migrated too far behind the storms were swallowed by the depthless sea which she now controlled. She then discovered that within the seemingly endless waters and bottomless sea new creatures began to emerge. Great water serpents and giant megalodons, creatures who lived within the sea that could swallow a great dragon whole began to come forth and would jump out to try and catch any stray flying monster, or devil, who flew too close to the water's surface.

Sona tore them asunder.

It wasn't hard; after spending months drying out creatures who had far less water within; manipulating the water in these massive creatures was mere child's play and she reveled in her power.

But soon she began to grow bored. The greatest beasts the wasteland, turned ocean, were all too easily destroyed. There was no challenge; with so much water to command she could fell the deadliest beast effortlessly. So she flew through the rain and found a floating iceberg with a cave.

Inside Sona found Ambrose who had created this floating palace of ice to provide shelter from the never ending storm as well as solid ground so that they might rest. Ambrose had created this iceberg as soon as the ocean formed, eager to get out of the rain and onto solid ground. As the weeks went by he kept himself amused by making their ice home as ornate and decorative as possible with intricate etchings, statues, columns, and staircases. He wasn't surprised at her boredom, or lack of being challenged; in fact he had been expecting it.

"Congratulations, I do believe you have surpassed and grown stronger than your 500 year older self." Ambrose said with a smile. "There's only one thing left to do. Create a tsunami that will carry this iceberg back to the mountains so we can return to Oasis posthaste."

Creating waves was easy for Sona, she could even create a giant whirlpool which could swallow even the greatest of sea serpents into the far depths and crush it beneath the weight of the ocean. However, a tsunami was different, it was a displaced body of water which was much larger and faster than the average wave. Making waves was like creating a rolling effect on the water's surface; however, it required a constant effort to push it. A tsunami required much more; a sudden shift of a massive body of water, but once created nature would take its course and propell them along by its own force. It was an ongoing theme that Ambrose had tried to teach her; use nature and physics to augment and enhance your own power rather than using more energy to fight the forces of nature. So with a sudden and large shift beneath the depths of the sea, the iceberg turned palace that had been their temporary shelter was swiftly hurled forward on a giant tsunami towards the mountains of Oasis.

Originally it took them weeks to arrive deep enough into the wasteland desert to find the hunting grounds where they spent months training. With the help of the tsunami the pair arrived back at the mountain within two days. In the end, it was rather spectacular; the pair launched themselves into the air and watched as their ice palace shattered against the mountainside and break apart as the waves continued to crash against the mountain.

It was the middle of the night by the time the pair made their way through the hidden caverns and skulked across the muddy streets of Oasis. Aside from being late, it was still raining hard so the people of Oasis had turned in for the night, though lights were still on in many houses. Both Sona and Ambrose took extra care not to be seen lest their appearance race questions. They were dirty, tired, and exhausted from being out in the wasteland for months, and as they entered the door of Ambrose's secret home a drained sigh of relief escaped their mouths.

"I'm going to get clean, and then fall asleep till noon tomorrow." Ambrose said, exhaustion clearly evident in her voice.

Sona didn't verbally reply, only nodded her head in agreement; but when she saw him heading away from their bedroom and shared bath she couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going?"

"To the onsen." Ambrose replied, "Coming?"

* * *

" _Oh Maō, I thought I'd never be clean again."_ , Sona thought to herself as she luxuriated within the hot steamy indoor onsen water. _"If I wasn't a devil then this is what heaven would feel like."_

To finally be clean after months of being out in the sweltering wasteland was an indescribable feeling. Sure, they did manage to shower in the wasteland by using water accumulated at the end of each day; it was even easier once the rain began falling. But to actually scrub down, or in this case to be scrubbed down by her fiance, was absolute bliss. It was almost as pleasurable as putting her hands on Ambrose's athletic body to wash him in return.

Sona's eyes watched Ambrose as he laid back in the hot, steamy waters. A wet cloth covered his eyes as his head leaned back and he became completely relaxed. He had tried to hide his reaction to seeing her naked body with an air of nonchalantness, but the towel wrapped around his waist couldn't hide such a large… Sona bit her bottom lip at the thought.

She, of course, had seen him naked before; in fact the first time had been the morning after their first night in this future. After that they had been naked many times together, but the rushed wash off of sand and dirt with artificial rainfall she created was hardly a romantic environment.

Never the less, as Sona watched Ambrose slip into a deep relaxed state she couldn't help but admire him; his dedication to her training, his discipline, his magical power, his mind, his body. She resolved herself, silently sliding across the hot water with a purpose and then mounted him. Ambrose's surprise was quickly silenced as Sona's mouth found his lips, hungerly devouring any exclamation as she claimed him.

" _He's mine."_ Sona thought possessively as she grounded herself against him, _"My fiance, the man I love and will spend the rest of my life with."_

After months alone with Ambrose, Sona felt it was time.

"Promise me." Sona said between intermittent kisses, "promise you'll go slow. I've never done this with anyone before."

Ambrose smiled at her, his kind cerulean eyes shining back at her. "I've never done this with anyone else."

* * *

Sona groggily woke up the next morning, or afternoon as it were, feeling quite sore in places she had never felt before. She wasn't sure if it was the result of her hard training or last night's prolific activities.

" _Perhaps four times was a bit much"_ She thought to herself as she stretched next to her lover, _"I lost count of how many times I came_."

Most people assumed that she would be as disciplined in bed as she was with everything else in her life. Most people would be wrong. She had been instructed from a very young age to be a **[King]** , to be the heiress of clan Sitri, to be a peer with out equal and carry the responsibilities and duties required of a high class devil. However, like many individuals who held power and control over others, Sona wanted to privately give up that responsibility for a few precious moments and surrender herself to someone she trusted. It wasn't masochism; Sona desired to be challenged, to find someone who could best her, someone worthy enough to surrender herself to completely, and she found that person in Ambrose.

He knew exactly what she wanted with out words ever being exchange. He took control, led her down pathways of pleasure she never knew existed, showed her ecstasy in ways that even surprised herself. He knew exactly when to lead, when to tease, when to hold back the promise of release and then let it build up in a crescendo until the pleasure burst forth and there was nothing left but the two of them. It was as if Ambrose had awoken something inside of her; she had completely submitted to him and gave him everything she had to offer. Sona couldn't have asked for a more fulfilling first sexual experience.

For months Sona privately regarded Ambrose as 'hers'; however, after last night the dynamics shifted. He was still 'hers' but now she could unequivocally state that she was also 'his', as he had claimed every part of her body.

Sona ran her fingers through Ambrose's crimson hair, noting that both his and hers needed to be cut if they were to blend in with out question when they returned to the future. She also noted that they both had tanned rather well and would have to wait for it to fade. Sona watched with satisfaction as Ambrose gently roused himself from slumber. She greeted her lover with a sensual morning kiss which soon began to get heated.

"As much as I'd like to continue", Sona breathlessly said, "I'm still a bit sore."

"Was I not gentle enough?" Ambrose worriedly asked as he caressed her body.

"You were wonderful, but you're a bit too much," Sona said, firmly grasping his member causing him to groan in pleasure, "I'll have to get used to this."

"Didn't hear you complaining about it last night." Ambrose remarked while reaching for Sona's glasses on the night stand, "But if you're going to tease me in the morning then it's only fair that I do the same."

Ambrose took her glasses but instead of handing them to her, he put them on his own face giving her a sexy smile in return.

" _Damn."_ Sona thought as she hungerly claimed his lips and they proceeded into a repeat of last nights performance.

* * *

"Maō, four times last night and two more in the morning." Sona halfheartedly complained.

"Well, I was a bit tired from all of our training.", Ambrose said as he set her breakfast down in front of her. "I'll perform better next time."

Sona's eyes widened as her imagination went wild, "Y-you're joking."

"Not at all." Ambrose said with a confident grin.

"It's not fair, you knowing so much more about me." Sona remarked while eating her breakfast. She felt sore and stiff all over, and this morning's activities didn't exactly help. "Using my glasses fetish against me like that."

"You think I have some sort of advantage because I know you so well?" Ambrose amusingly asked.

"You knew my counterpart very well." Sona said with a small frown. "It is an unfair advantage."

"The advantage has always been yours." Ambrose told her, "I loved you before you first laid eyes on me and you've unknowingly had me wrapped around your finger."

"You loved my counterpart." Sona corrected once again, "We're completely different people."

It was an ongoing source of contention that Ambrose often spoke of her and her counterpart as if they were the same individual. Part of Sona felt like she was sharing her fiance with a dead woman, or someone else entirely; she wanted Ambrose to love her, and not ghost of a future that was no more.

"You think so?" Ambrose asked as he finished his breakfast. "Why don't we get a second opinion?"

After breakfast Ambrose led Sona back to his laboratory; she noted that it was a bit different than last time they entered. Everything was still inactive from their 5 month long training trip, there was no cauldrons bubbling, nor electricity flying in arcs in transmutation displays.

They approached a pedestal which held a 1 meter tall green rock in the shape of a hexagonal bi-pyramid that sat inert on display.

"Is this your stone?", Sona asked curiously. She had seen it before, but gave didn't give it much thought at the time. "It's different than I imagined."

"Yeah, it came out a bit different than I imagined as well." Ambrose said, nodding in agreement with her. "The description of Flamel's stone is that it's red, misshaped, and can fit in the palm of your hand. Still, both will transmute metals into gold, but his produces the elixir of life. We, however, are going to use this stone's alternate function; to summon the souls of the dead."

"Um… Who are you summoning?" Sona asked with a little trepidation.

"Me? No one. You're going to summon someone." Ambrose said as a matter of fact.

"Me?" Sona said in disbelief. "And just who do you want me to summon?"

"Whoever you want." Ambrose said sitting down on his stool to watch her, "Just channel your magic into the stone while saying the individual's name, be sure to focus on the person you want to summon."

"Why am I doing this again?" Sona asked warily.

"You want more information on the events that happened." Ambrose clarified, "Sure we have the recordings from 'Future-Not-Sona'. This way you can hear directly from someone you know is real."

Sona frowned, never having heard Ambrose refer to her future counterpart in such a manner. True, she didn't like how he confused the two of them, but she never heard such a dismissal of her counterpart before. She turned her attention to the stone in front of her, wondering if it would work at all.

Channeling her magic into the stone, Sona focused. "Tsubaki Shinra."

Nothing happened.

"Her soul must have moved on." Ambrose said with a frown. "An individual needs to have a reason to stick around."

"Did my counterpart manage to summon anyone?" Sona asked.

"No, but that doesn't mean you won't." Ambrose remarked.

Sona sighed in frustration, but decided to keep trying. "Rias Gremory."

Again, nothing happened.

Sona began to feel frustrated. Once again Ambrose was expecting her to do things that her counterpart couldn't do. _"True, I did manage to learn that dehydration technique which my counterpart never did, but this? You'd think there was someone who was dead who wanted to speak to me."_

Sona suddenly had an epiphany. There was someone who would never stop looking for her, even beyond death. Someone who her counterpart couldn't summon, but she herself could. Someone who died to save her counterpart, so wouldn't feel the need to search for her. But since Sona disappeared in this alternate future, she would never stop looking.

"Serafall Leviathan"

The stone immediately reacted, glowing brightly, spinning and floating up off the pedestal till it slowed down and settled once more.

A translucent shape began to form, a person, a young girl, her sister who wore her familiar magical girl outfit.

The ghost of Serafall Leviathan blinked in shock as she suddenly took in her new surroundings, but soon she laid eyes on her sister.

"So-tan! I found you!" Serafall exclaimed happily as she rushed to her sister.

Sona stiffened in shock, partly because the stone worked as Ambrose said it would, but mostly due to her instinctive reaction to having her sister crush her in one of her hugs.

Such an embrace was not meant to be as the ghost of Serafall Leviathan ran right through her sister.

"Wah, I can't hug my beloved So-tan?!" Serafall cried out while futilely reaching for her sister; her translucent arms going right through Sona, "So cruel, I can't embrace my lovely So-tan!"

"I-Is this your sister?" Ambrose asked uncertainly.

"Yes." Sona admitted with as much dignity as she could muster. "This is my Onee-sama, Maō Serafall Leviathan."

Serafall turned and regarded Ambrose, as if she hadn't noticed her presence before.

Ambrose smiled at her and introduced himself, "Nice to meet you, Maō Leviathan. My name is..."

" **YOU!** " Serafall yelled, interrupting Ambrose. " **You're The One Who Kidnapped My So-** **t** **an!** "

" _Oh shit."_ Sona realized with wide eyes.

There was an immediate reaction to Serafall's anger; inside the laboratory beakers began exploding, the fire beneath the cauldrons ignited and started burning high and bright, the computers and electrical equipment started overloading.

"My lab!", Ambrose exclaimed in shock and immediately moved to try to salvage what he could. "No ghost should be able to do all this!"

"She **is** a Maō." Sona offered as an explanation.

" **I'll Kill You And Torment Your Soul After Death** **For All Eternity** **!** " Serafall shouted, her anger becoming visible as the destruction around her increased.

"Sona!" Ambrose pleaded as his lab continued to fall apart around him.

"Onee-sama! Please stop!" Sona said, rushing to put herself within her sisters line of sight. "See, I'm alright. I'm still alive, nothing bad has happened to me."

"Oh So-tan." Serafall said, crying tears once more. "Your **[Queen]** told me how you were kidnapped and I searched everywhere for you. I know he's probably brainwashed you and had his wicked way with you, but don't worry. With my bright magic I'll destroy this fiend who dared to kidnap my beloved So-tan!", Serafall finished with a wink and cute pose.

"Onee-sama!" Sona pleaded, "Please let me explain everything."

Serafall cutely pouted, but complied.

Sona led Serafall down to the living room, an act in which Ambrose was grateful for as he seemed focused on repairing his lab after Serafall's temper tantrum.

Sona took a few hours in order to explain what had transpired to her sister, the date she went on, their trip to the future, the training she went through, and how they were forming a plan to change the timeline. Sona did privately decide not to mention the **[Master Key]** as her sister already disliked Ambrose and Sona didn't want to compound the issue. Never the less, Serafall was born a Sitri and her innocence hid her intelligence well.

"Time travel?" Serafall questioned, "But traveling to the future is impossible. No one has ever done it before."

"Ambrose has a tendency to do the impossible." Sona said as way of explanation. "He could describe the method better than I could. But what's important is that we traveled 500 years in the future. We've been here for a little over than 5 months training, and we're going to go over recordings from my alternate future self to get a better idea on what happens so we can change it. Any additional information you could provide would be a huge help."

"But you can go back?" Serafall questioned with a pout, "I don't have to go through losing you again?"

"Ambrose assures me we can return, he says he's gone back and forth many times." Sona reassured her sister, "As I understand it we will return the very night I went missing."

"It's still reckless of him." Serafall continued to complain, "Why didn't you come to me for help?"

"It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. He didn't exactly tell me we would be traveling in time, only that he wanted to show me something that would only take a moment." Sona replied.

"So he did kidnap you." Serafall clenched her ethereal fists in anger.

"Technically, yes. But I don't mind." Sona hastily explained, "He didn't lie, we will be back in just a moment after we left. But I had to see this for myself, I wouldn't have believed him otherwise. Plus this way I was able to train and become much stronger than before."

"I don't like how he took you away." Serafall continued to complain, "What if you got injured, what if you died?"

"If I got injured Ambrose would have healed me. And if I died Ambrose says he could resurrect me, he gave me this", Sona said, showing Serafall the little black flower with a skull on the disc.

"A death flower?" Serafall exclaimed in shock, "That's impossible. You can't smuggle those out of the realm of the dead!"

"I told you, Ambrose has a tendency to do the impossible." Sona said, "He grows them in his garden and probably has half a dozen other ways to resurrect someone."

"Could… Could he resurrect me?" Serafall asked with tears in her eyes, "I've missed you so much. I spent so long searching for you in the realm of the dead, but I never found you. I was glad you weren't dead, but I was so worried that something terrible had happened to you. What if you were exorcised and your soul no longer existed, what if you moved on with out me? Being with out my So-tan for so long as been torture."

"I-I'll be sure to ask him, but you really should apologize to him for destroying his laboratory." Sona suggested.

"Maō, do I have to?" Serafall complained.

"Yes, he's my fiance and I want you two to get along." Sona insisted.

"No, No, No! I refuse to allow my So-tan to be engaged to such a bad person. I don't care if he beat you in chess, So-tan is mine. I was your first." Serafall protested.

"Onee-sama!" Sona yelled, "You promised never to bring that up again."

"But how could I forget?" Serafall cutely said, "You wanted to know all about the love between two people that I just had to show you. Maō, your face was so cute when I teased you."

While Sona didn't lie to Ambrose when she told him she had never done it before, it wasn't the entire truth. When Sona had been younger and engaged, she had naturally been curious about sex in general. Her Onee-sama was all too happy, and quite possibly eager, to teach her about the love between two people. There was a lot of kissing, touching, petting with a 'climax', but nothing further than that as Sona's purity had to remain in tact for her then-fiance. At the time, Sona didn't think anything wrong with it as she did, and still does, love her Onee-sama. However after talking with Rias, who began to complain about her brother being a sis-con, the act and memory of what Sona shared with her Onee-sama became taboo.

"Onee-sama, stop it. You promised never to bring that up again.." Sona reminded her sister.

"Maō, I can't help it." Serafall said with tears in her eyes, "I haven't seen you in centuries, I've been searching the realm of the dead for you ever since I died. I had to remind myself of the wonderful times we had…. Sona…?"

"Onee-sama?" Sona questioned, watching as her sister became more transparent and began to fade.

"Sona…." Serafall cried out as her form disappeared.

" _What just happened? … 3 hours"_ , Sona reminded herself, _"Ambrose said that the spirit of the dead could only be summoned for three hours."_

Sona couldn't help but feel the loss of her beloved sister. The embarrassing comments her Onee-sama had made was nothing new, Serafall had often embarrassed her. But she never had brought up their one 'Yuri' time together when Sona had first discovered the concept of sex. Sona knew Serafall loved her, undoubtedly in ways that was less than appropriate, but Sona couldn't fault her sister for using that one forbidden moment the two of them shared in order to keep her soul from moving on. Serafall undoubtedly needed some happy memory to keep her soul grounded until the pair could be reunited.

Sona resolved herself to find Ambrose and ask him to resurrect her sister.

She found him in his laboratory and was quite surprised to see everything was in working order. Ambrose was busying himself with that same plant she saw him fussing with months ago before they left for the wasteland. It was a two foot high potted plant which held pouches of orange goo, he seemed intently focused on it; however, Sona was on a mission. She wanted Ambrose to resurrect her sister and quite honestly she had never asked him for such a monumental favor before. It was especially large considering the damage her Onee-sama inflicted on Ambrose's alchemy lab.

"Ambrose, I'd like to apologize on behalf of my Onee-sama for the damage to your lab." Sona began.

"Why are you apologizing for her?" Ambrose asked as he remained focused on his plant. He extracted some of the orange goo from one of the bulbous sacks and began examining it on a microscope.

"Because her… her soul has gone back to the realm of the dead and she isn't here to apologize for herself." Sona said and then noticed something alarming. "Ambrose, where is your stone?"

"Hrm? Oh, I put it away." Ambrose said dismissively. "Why does it matter?"

"Be-because I wanted to talk to Onee-sama again." Sona admitted, alarmed that she might not be able to at least summon Serafall again. "I also wanted to ask you to resurrect her."

"Why would I do that?" Ambrose asked, taking his attention away from his microscope and looking at her like she was crazy. "After all, she's not your real sister. She's some alternate future version of your sister, a completely different person. You couldn't possibly still have the same feelings for her as your real sister."

Sona's heart dropped to her stomach. _"What? That was with out a doubt Onee-sama. She wasn't some impostor or alternate version…. Oh Maō_ , _**my** alternate version"_.

Sona recalled that this whole event with the stone began when she suggested that her counterpart wasn't actually herself. She insisted that they were separate people, but now having summoned her sister she understood. The Sona that Ambrose first met and fell in love with was no different to her than the ghost of her Onee-sama was to the Serafall she had left behind in the past. The only difference was the experience one had over another.

"I'm sorry." Sona said, tears pooling in her eyes.

Ambrose didn't reply. His face held a guilty look as he left his microscope and went to embrace her. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so cruel when making my point."

"No, you were right." Sona said in his arms. "You made your point, and quite honestly I wouldn't have believed you with out seeing someone I knew for myself."

"Shh," Ambrose said while rubbing her back and comforting her. "It's all right. We understand each other. Everything is forgiven."

"I was being selfish again." Sona said, "Only thinking about how I wanted to be with my sister, not realizing that since she was my sister meant that the futu- the me you first met was actually me. You love me, don't you? It wasn't a counterpart or some pseudo version, it's always been me."

"It's always been you." Ambrose confirmed while holding her close, "Always and only you. The problem with being a time traveler means that sometimes you do things out of order."

They continued to hold one another for awhile, slowly rocking back and forth while Ambrose continued to rub her back.

" _I can't help but feel safe in his arms."_ Sona thought to herself with a content sigh, _"As if everything, all the problems of the world can be fixed so long as I stay in his arms."_

"I don't have a problem resurrecting your sister." Ambrose said, interrupting her thoughts, "Provided there are no repeat performances in my lab. However, I'm worried about you and what will happen when we leave."

"What do you mean?" Sona asked.

"She can't come back with us." Ambrose explained, "Just like you couldn't come back when I first met you. There can not be two of the same person in the same timeline. If Maō Leviathan came back to the past it would lock this future in place and this disaster would be guaranteed. So tell me Sona, tell me could you leave her behind? Can you leave this future and leave her like I had to leave you?"

"We'll have to." Sona reasoned, "Serafall was what you're searching for, wasn't it? A survivor of the war, someone who had a living memory of what happened. She could help us."

Ambrose nodded, still holding her close. "She could. I just don't want to see you hurt when we'll eventually have to leave her behind."

Sona loosened their embrace so she could look into Ambrose's eyes. She noted how sad they were, sad for her and what she'll have to face when they eventually left for the past. "I understand."

"The stone is in the music room." Ambrose admitted, "Just a bit past the living room where the two of you were. I'm not so cruel as to deny you from meeting with your beloved sister."

Sona smiled in relief, sorry that she had ever doubted him.

"I love you Ambrose." Sona said, stroking his cheek. "I don't know if I ever told you before, now or in that future. But I want you to know, I love you now and in any future that may happen. No matter how the timeline changes, I want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

"I love you too." Ambrose said, his kind blue eyes holding back tears of happiness as he gave her a soft kiss. "Now let's bring your sister back to life."

The pair made their way down to the music room, adjunct to the living room Sona was previously in with the ghost of her sister. Sona had yet to enter this room; it held a piano, guitar, cello, drums, violin, and most importantly Ambrose's stone.

"Do you actually play any of these instruments?" Sona asked with amusement.

"Believe it or not I haven't had the time to learn most of them." Ambrose admitted with a guilty smile, "But I can play the violin quite well. We should play a duet sometime, so you don't get rusty with your skills with the piano."

"Ugh, I hated piano lessons." Sona admitted, "Mother used to drill me about them, turned them into a nightmare."

"Perhaps you just need to make new memories." Ambrose remarked, then changed the subject, "I figured if I moved my stone here your sister would be less likely to destroy my lab again."

"I hope she didn't do any lasting damage." Sona guiltily said.

"No, I didn't have any large experiments going on. Just that plant I was working on." Ambrose admitted.

"I saw you messing with that plant before we left. I'm surprised its lasted while we were away. What is it?" Sona asked.

"It's a prototype." Ambrose admitted, "That orange goo that grows in the sacks is a substitute for crude oil. With it you could theoretically create plastic or fuel. It's renewable bio-fuel."

"That's incredible." Sona said with astonishment.

"It's not ready. The harvest yield isn't high enough for it to be viable. It would take up too much land to produce what Oasis would need." Ambrose admitted, "But when it's ready I want to introduce it to Oasis so that when we come in the future they could have a level of technology that's at least comparable to what we're used to. Who knows, perhaps they'll surpass it. Still, I've got a ways to go till it's ready, and we've got more important things to do."

Sona nodded and turned to the green stone. "Serafall Leviathan."

The stone reacted once more, glowing and spinning in the air briefly until it settled down and the ghost of Serafall Leviathan appeared once more.

"So-tan!", Serafall happily exclaimed, "I'm back!"

"Welcome back, Onee-sama." Sona formally said. "Please, allow me to properly introduce my fiance, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer."

"Fiance?", Ambrose questioned, "I don't believe I've officially proposed yet."

"Technically you don't have to." Sona admitted with a bit of embarrassment, "I tricked you when I sent you back in the past to challenge me. I used to be engaged, but was able to free myself from the engagement by defeating my ex-fiance in a chess match. My parents stipulated that I had to marry the next person who defeated me in chess."

"So when you sent me back in time, telling me I had to beat you to gain a favor I was actually gaining you as a fiance?" Ambrose asked for clarification.

"Surprise." Sona awkwardly replied.

"That's..." Ambrose said in shock, "That's so awesome, I'm not even mad."

"Really?" Sona asked.

"Ahem", Serafall said, falsely clearing her throat, "Just because you defeated my So-tan in chess doesn't mean I accept you as her fiance. So-tan is mine."

"I see no reason why we both can't share her." Ambrose reasoned.

Both Sona's and Serafall's eyes widened at the unintentional implication.

"T-That's not why we're here." Sona said, desperate to change the subject, "Onee-sama, Ambrose has agreed to resurrect you, but first isn't there something you want to say to him?"

"Is there?" Serafall asked cutely, putting her finger to her cheek while having a look of contemplation.

"Onee-sama." Sona insisted, seeing right through Serafall's ruse.

"Alright." Serafall sighed, "Ambrose, I'm sorry for making a mess. I'm still mad at you for taking So-tan away from me, but you did save her from everything that happened. You also seem to have a plan to stop the war from happening, so I guess I can forgive you."

"Onee-sama, you can't forgive someone when you're trying to apologize to them." Sona asserted.

"It's alright." Ambrose said, "I understand why she's upset with me, and if she's willing to forgive me then I'm willing to forgive her. Maō Leviathan, I hope we can get along."

"We'll see." Serafall offered.

"It's almost time for dinner," Ambrose said, moving the conversation along, "Why don't the two of you continue to catch up while I fix us dinner. I have to make a special meal just for Maō Leviathan."

"Levi-tan."

"Pardon?" Ambrose asked.

"If I'm going to be here for awhile and help out then you have to call me Levi-tan." Serafall said as way of a peace offering.

"Levi-tan." Ambrose said, trying the name out. "I'll be more than happy to resurrect you, so long as you understand that you can't come back in the past with us. If you did then this future would be locked into place."

"I understand." Serafall replied in a rare moment of seriousness, "And I won't be any more trouble. So long as you promise me you'll keep my So-tan safe and do your best to stop all this from happening."

"Sona's safety is always my top priority." Ambrose firmly stated, "And compared to Sona's safety changing this future is my secondary goal. I will always protect her."

"Ambrose." Sona said, shocked that her saftey ranked higher than his goal of changing the future.

"Then I hope we can get along." Serafall said cheerfully.

"I'll leave you two to it while I prepare dinner." Ambrose said, excusing himself to the kitchen.

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona gratefully said, "Ambrose is very important to me."

"I just want to find out more about him." Serafall admitted, "If he tries anything with you then I'll freeze him solid."

"He's actually quite good with ice magic," Sona admitted, "I had hoped the two of you would get along."

"Hey, Sona. Is it true? Is he Millicas?" Serafall questioned. "He sure does look like Sirzechs-chan ."

"I-I honestly don't know, but I doubt it. Ambrose can use light magic and he does have **[Sacred Gear]**." Sona admitted, not wanting to get into the specifics of the **[Master Key]**.

Serafall giggled to herself, "Maybe Sirzechs-chan had a mistress, Ambrose could be a love child from some human."

Sona frowned, "Let's not get crazy. Everyone in the Underworld knows the story of how Sirzechs wooed Grayfia Lucifuge who was a member of the Old Satan Faction during the civil war. They made a movie about their love story."

"Stories often hide the bitter truth of things." Serafall admitted with a shrug, "Grayfia was never one to show affection in public, but after Millicas disappeared their relationship soured a bit."

"Onee-sama, you shouldn't gossip like that." Sona scolded, "And quite honestly, I'm not sure about Ambrose being Millicas. He does use ice magic and the power of destruction, but the fact that he can use light magic so well and have **[Sacred Gear]** puts him out of the running."

"Maybe, maybe not." Serafall admitted, but wouldn't elaborate further when Sona pressed.

They were soon called to dinner; Ambrose had prepared baked salmon with asparagus for the two of them and a dish of Ambrosia for Serafall.

"How am I suppose to eat this?" Serafall asked, while her hand kept going through the fork and table.

"You did all that damage to my lab and can't lift a fork?" Ambrose asked in surprise.

"I don't know how I did that, I just did." Serafall argued back, "And I can't eat this food if I can't pick up my fork."

"Here, let me." Ambrose said, getting up from his chair and sitting next to Serafall. He put a bit of the quiche on a fork and offered it to Serafall. "Say Ahhhh."

Sona nearly choked on her food at the display.

Serafall's translucent cheeks glowed a bit, perhaps a ghost's version of blushing, but soon complied. "Ahhh..."

"Mmm! This is good!" Serafall said happily and quickly opened her mouth for more.

It was probably the most bizarre sights Sona had ever witnessed. Not only was her Onee-sama, Maō Leviathan herself, being fed like a child at the table, but it seemed as if she were actually enjoying it. Then there was the process of her Onee-sama being resurrected before her eyes. Despite being translucent, Serafall's mouth and stomach was becoming 'brighter'. Sona could still see through some parts of her; however, she thankfully couldn't see her sister chewing and swallowing her meal. In fact, there was a strange glow coming from her stomach where the food was now settling.

Ambrose didn't comment on Serafall's behavior, but simply continued to feed her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Sona couldn't help but blush at the thought of him doing something similar with their own children in the future.

"Last bite." Ambrose said, as he offered the final bit to Serafall who happily ate it.

"Mmm, so good." Serafall said with a smile, "When does it take effect?"

"Right now." Ambrose said, "Go on, stand up."

Serafall didn't stand up, it was more like she floated up away from the table since she was still a ghost. However, as soon as she did so the rainbow glow that was in her stomach grew brighter until it enveloped her entire body in a bright flash and Serafall Leviathan, made flesh once more, landed gracefully on the floor.

"I'm alive." Serafall said with astonishment as she inspected her newly reformed body.

"It worked." Sona remarked while moving closer to check to see that her sister was indeed alive once more.

"Of course it did." Ambrose said, surprised at their criticism. "Why would I say it could bring her back to life if it couldn't?"

"It's not that." Sona said, while poking her sister's shoulder, "It's that this is completely unheard of."

"Got you!" Serafall cheered happily as she wrapped her arms around her sister. "So-tan! So-tan!"

"O-Onee-sama!" Sona said, stiffening in shock.

"So-tan, I've got you and now I'll never let you go." Serafall happily said while rubbing her cheek against Sona. "Oh, I've missed you so much, it's been so long."

Ambrose laughed at the sight, "The love between sisters is a beautiful thing."

"Ambrose! Please don't misunderstand..." but Sona's words were interrupted by Serafall.

"Am-chan, you understand, don't you?" Serafall said with excitement, "The pure love shared between two sisters."

" _Am-chan?!"_ Sona jealously thought. _"Am-chan is mine, Onee-sama!"_

"I don't have any family of my own, but I'm can't deny the bond between you two." Ambrose said, "And I'm happy to have helped you reunite with Sona."

" _Ambrose, you idiot."_ , Sona thought.

* * *

While Ambrose did admire the love shared between the two sisters, he was disappointed when Serafall insisted that she and Sona sleep together from here on out. Truthfully, Sona admonished herself for being so short sighted and not foreseeing that demand coming when she had asked Ambrose to resurrect Serafall. As disappointing as being unable to wake up next to her lover was, Sona couldn't deny her Onee-sama's request (demand) that they sleep together. It seemed the tears of Serafall Leviathan worked on both Sona and Ambrose, so he quietly acquiesced to Serafall's 'request' and slept alone.

Sona knew she made the right decision when she awoke to the next morning with her Onee-sama clinging tightly to her. The centuries of loss and absence had been tough on Serafall, who quietly cried herself to sleep last night. Sona comforted her as best as she could, reminded of the message of her future self who mentioned about a similar scene. Sona's comforting whispers soothed Serafall and in the morning Sona's beloved sister was still sleeping peacefully.

Serafall woke up with the brightest smile Sona had ever seen, and it stayed on her face through out the morning. Even when she ate Ambrose's prepared breakfast of french toast, Serafall proclaimed it to be her all time favorite and said she wanted to eat it every day.

Ambrose simply smiled and said she would love his breakfast crepes even more.

It warmed Sona's hear to see her beloved Onee-sama so happy, though she resolved herself to have words with her sister about her need to keep Ambrose separated from her. After breakfast Serafall inserted herself between Sona and Ambrose on the couch as they sat down to watch the recordings of her future self.

"I've seen these before." Ambrose said while inserting a DVD, "Well, I was recording them in the first place, but I've watched them again. So, if you have any questions at all, let me know and I'll pause it."

The screen came on and a more mature version of Sona appeared sitting on the very couch the three of them now occupied.

"Look So-tan. Your breasts are going to grow after all!" Serafall said with her usual enthusiasm.

"Onee-sama!" Sona scolded her sister with a blush.

" _This is the recorded events which lead up to the Final Celestial War; as remembered by me, Sona Sitri."_ Said the Sona on the television who then sighed a bit to gather her thoughts.

" _It all began with the Fallen Angels encroaching on the devil territory of Kuoh. There were no attacks directed as us in the beginning so Rias Gremory, Governor of Kuoh, decided not to inform the Duke or the Maōs. While I cannot ascertain the motives behind not informing the higher ups, I believe Rias viewed this trespass as a cause for concern, but not an immediate threat."_

" _During the next few weeks there were incidents with the humans who lived in town. A Kuoh Academy student, Hyoudou-san, was lured out on a date and killed outside of school grounds. This was soon followed by a group of rogue exorcists who came into Kuoh and began killing humans that would make contracts with devils. The exorcists would wait for the humans to summon us, quickly kill the humans, and then ambush us when we arrived. While we suffered no casualties, that is when the skirmishes between us truly began."_

" _Only after the first fights broke out was the Duke then notified and an inquiry was made through official channels. No follow up response came from the Duke or the Maōs, and the matter was then dropped as the Fallen Angel activity quickly came to a halt with the sudden destruction of Kuoh's only and abandoned church. Inside church the human authorities found a dead nun who they believed was a sacrifice in what they referred to as a 'satanic ritual'. With the humans on high alert, Rias Gremory and I agreed to keep our peerages close by and our activities on a low profile. Both peerages were confined to Kuoh Academy and our respected homes. The Occult Research Club, Rias's peerage's cover, was publicly disbanded in fear of backlash due to the death of the nun and burning of the church."_

" _Shortly after this Rias was called back to the Underworld in order to fulfill her obligation to Clan Gremory and Clan Phenix. Despite protesting and later competing against Riser Phenix in a Rating Game, Rias Gremory lost due to her peerage's small numbers and lack of experience. She and her peerage remained in the Underworld from then on with her new husband Riser Phenix and Governorship of Kuoh fell to me. I never saw Rias again, as Riser Phenix refused to allow her to see her friends or fight in the war; however, I did hear some disturbing rumors involving the disappearance of Yuuto Kiba and later Gasper Vladi, Rias's only male members of her peerage. Riser was well known as a womanizer and it was rumored he killed Kiba-san and Vladi-kun in an effort to use Rias's peerage as an extension of his own harem. Soon after that Rias's **[Rook]** , Koneko Toujo, became a free piece. She never spoke of what transpired within House Phenix; she was always a quiet girl. Rias's **[Queen]** , Akeno Himejima, remained by Rias's side and Rias never expanded her peerage from then on."_

" _After the marriage of Rias Gremory I returned to Kuoh with my peerage and quickly found myself busy with my duties as **[King]** , student council president, and Governor of Kuoh. Weeks later an envoy that consisted of two exorcists from the Holy Church, armed with holy swords, came to me and 'requested' to be allowed to search for holy artifacts that the Fallen Angels had stolen; they believed the Fallen Angels had left behind these artifacts in Kuoh and wanted to search for them. Due to the articles of cease fire that had been previously drawn up at the end of the last Great War, I complied with their 'request'. As a precaution, I instructed my entire peerage to remain within the walls of Kuoh Academy at all times so as not to be drawn into any conflict with the church nor any additional conflicts with Fallen Angels who may have remained hidden in the area."_

" _What the exorcists failed to mention was that the holy artifacts that they came to collect were three fragments of Excalibur that had been stolen from their respective church branches. The pair of exorcists also failed to mention to us that the two Holy Swords they carried were also Excalibur fragments. A few days later the pair of exorcists were killed by the Fallen Angel Kokabiel. With five Excalibur fragments in total, he reforged Excalibur into a single sword and gathered his forces to attack my peerage and I while we remained holed up in Kuoh Academy completely unaware."_

On the television, Sona took a moment to gather her thoughts as this was clearly difficult.

" _The attack happened suddenly. With my entire peerage in one place we were caught off guard and quickly found ourselves in an ambush, fighting for our lives. Since Kokabiel was a Cadre class Fallen Angel who now wielded a reforged Excalibur, any attempt at retaliation soon fell apart. In the end I had to sacrifice half of my peerage in order to facilitate an escape. The Duke and Maōs had to be warned that the war had restarted. **[Bishop]** Momo Hanakai, **[Bishop]** Reya Kusaka, **[Knight]** Tomoe Meguri, and **[Pawn]** Ruruko Nimura stayed behind, knowing they would die in order to save my life and the lives of rest of the peerage in hopes that we could go on to warn the Maōs. They died heroes."_

"Stop." Sona pleaded with tears in her eyes, "Please stop the recording."

Ambrose paused the DVD as requested. He went to comfort her, but Serafall already held her sister in her arms.

Sona had been briefed from the recording made by her future self, but to hear herself recount the destruction of half of her peerage was simply too much. Serafall comforted her, hugging her close, telling her that it all would be alright. But it wasn't alright. Sona was reminded of her recording of losing her Serafall, and so she clung to her Onee-sama, telling her how much she loved her.

"Thank you Onee-sama." Sona said with tears, "Thank you for always being there for me."

Serafall shook her head as if her actions were nothing, "You're my So-tan. I'll always be there for you."

"You'll always have both of us." Ambrose replied watching the two of them.

"Thank you, both of you." Sona said, "I love you both."

The trio remained silent for a moment, mentally digesting all that they've seen.

"Does this testimony differ from what you experienced Levi-tan?" Ambrose asked, breaking the silence, "How did the war start in your timeline?"

"Hmm..." Serafall said, pondering for a moment. "Some of it was different, but some of it was the same. After So-tan disappeared Tsubaki-chan told me and Sirzechs-chan that So-tan had been kidnapped by someone who looked like Millicas Gremory."

"What?" Ambrose asked incredulously, "Why does everyone think I'm the son of Maō Lucifer?"

"Because you look just like him." both Sona and Serafall replied in unison, to Ambrose's disapointment.

Serafall continued her recollection of events. "I came to Kuoh ready to find my lovely So-tan and destroy the one who kidnapped her. Since Millicas was mentioned, Sirzechs-chan came with his **[Queen]** Grayfia. I don't involve myself with Gremory business, but Riser Phenix began to push for his marriage to Rias-chan. Sirzechs-chan said that Rias-chan's marriage was put on hold until So-tan could be found. Azazel-kun, the leader of the Fallen Angels, offered to help with the search but we declined. Then a large contingent of exorcists, two of them armed with Excalibur fragments, came into the area and accused us of stealing three Excalibur fragments. While we, the Maōs, were distracted with the exorcists, Rias-chan continued to search. Kokabiel showed up with his own Excalibur, forged from the three stolen fragments that the church lost. He attacked Rias-chan's peerage and … and he killed her and her entire peerage."

" _Poor Rias."_ Sona thought, _"Such a sad fate in both timelines."_

Sona had made a promise to help her friend Rias get out of her engagement to Riser Phenix. Being from different houses, Sona could only offer so much help; however, Sona did give Rias first choice of Kuoh's promising students to turn into Devils. But Rias seemed far too picky and let Sona approach the bulk of choice students of Kuoh Academy on her own. In fact, Rias had yet to turn a single student of Kuoh Academy. Most, if not all, of Rias's peerage members were given to her by her older brother, Maō Lucifer; something that Sona frowned upon as she wanted to prove her own independence from her sister Maō Serafall Leviathan.

There was also the fact that Rias didn't really train her peerage and Sona often felt like Rias excessively spoiled them. While Rias did focus on completing contracts with humans, Sona felt that if she were in Rias's shoes she would have scheduled a much more practical and physical training regiment in order to ensure her own freedom.

" _It seems that Rias's lack of preparation will be her downfall."_ Sona thought sadly.

Serafall, unaware of her sisters private thoughts, continued her story. "Azazel-kun denied the Grigori's involvement in the assassination, saying that Kokabiel acted on his own. Neither Sirzechs-chan nor I believed him; we had now lost Millicas, So-tan, and Rias-chan; the Angels and Grigori both had been involved in the death and disappearances. That's pretty much how the great war started."

"When did the Khaos Brigade get involved?" Ambrose asked.

"You know about them?" Serafall asked in surprise to which Ambrose nodded affirmative. "They didn't appear until later and all three sides had pretty much annihilated one another. When we realized how much we lost with all of our fighting the three factions began secret meetings to discuss another ceasefire. The Khaos Brigade attacked the peace summit and from then on it was the three weakened factions against the Khaos Brigade who was made up of mostly the Old Satan Faction, magicians, and heroes."

"Was it lead by the same people?" Ambrose asked, "The original Old Satans: Creuserey Asmodeus, Shalba Beelzbub, Katerea Leviathan, and Rizevim Lucifer?"

Serafall nodded, "But there was more than just them, the hero faction was lead by Cao-Cao the deceiver who wields the Ultimate Longinus."

"The deceiver?" Sona questioned.

"He's a liar and a thief." Serafall said with venom in her voice, "He made false promises to the Angels and Grigori in order to obtain information to find relics in order to fight in the war. He promised them peace if they gave information and returned to their realms, his lies even caused some Angels to fall. He will steal, kidnap, or kill anyone in order achieve his goal of ridding the Earth of all supernaturals."

"What about the others?" Ambrose questioned, "What about the White Dragon Emperor? What about Ophis?"

"The White Dragon Emperor, Vali Lucifer, was there with the Khaos Brigade when they attacked our peace summit." Serafall admitted, "In the beginning he was often with Cao-Cao, but he also acted alone a lot. Vali Lucifer is the half human the great grandson of the original Lucifer. As I understand it his grandfather Rizevim Lucifer killed his parents so Vali ran away. He was raised by Azazel-kun but later betrayed him because he thought the Khaos Brigade sounded more fun. He's obsessed with battle and cares only about fighting against the strongest of us, often showing up when we would try to protect the innocent denizens of the Underworld from the war. Despite betraying Azazel-kun, Vali does aid him in the final battle when Cao-Cao attacks him. However, by that point there were no real sides. Ophis, the true leader of the Khaos Brigade, betrays everyone at that final battle which was large enough to gain the attention of Great Red. It became everyone versus Great Red, and once the Dragon of Dragons died Ophis turned against everyone and we all died." Serafall finished sadly.

The three of them were all quiet for a moment before Ambrose spoke, "So many differences, but I think the similarities are what's really important."

"What do you mean?" Sona inquired.

"Well, for starters the Fallen Angels didn't probe your defenses, but this was most likely due to the Maōs being present. What's interesting is that Kokobiel attacked even with both Maōs in Kuoh, which is the start of the war." Ambrose reason. "That event happened both times. If we could thwart his attack then that would by us some time."

"It won't be enough." Serafall interrupted, "Even if you prevent Kokobiel's attack or even defeat Kokobiel, the Khaos Brigade will attempt to start the war another way."

"Was Kokobiel a member of the Khaos Brigade?" Sona inquired.

"No." Serafall said with a shake of her head, "He only wanted to restart the great war in order to prove the superiority of the Fallen Angels. The Khaos Brigade took advantage of the situation, but they would have found another way to start a war to begin with. Ophis needs a great war in order to summon Great Red."

"So if defeating Kokabiel and stalling the war isn't enough then what do you suggest?" Ambrose questioned.

"You have to bring the three factions together, create peace between them." Serafall emphatically said, "That will be enough to get the Khaos Brigade to show themselves earlier, maybe sooner than they're prepared to do. Only with a united front, at full strength, can we hope to defeat Ophis and the Khaos Brigade."

"Peace between the three factions?" Ambrose questioned, "That's a tall order. I mean, in both timelines they unite to defeat a stronger enemy, but with out an enemy to unite against it might be hard. And even then we're playing right into Ophis's hands by creating opposing forces strong enough to gain Great Red's attention."

"What did you plan to do Am-chan?", Serafall asked.

" _Again with the Am-chan?"_ Sona thought, but let it go for now.

"I plan to join the Khaos Brigade." Ambrose said, "Infiltrate them and take them down from within. I'm quite powerful and have sacred gear. I could join their ranks."

"I doubt the Hero Faction would accept you." Sona reasoned, "Cao-Cao sounds like a purist who prefers only humans."

"Ambrose isn't human?" Serafall asked looking over Ambrose from head to toe, "You sure you're not a devil."

"You didn't tell her?" Ambrose asked Sona who shook her head negative.

"Tell me what?" Serafall asked curiously.

"You tell her." Ambrose told Sona.

"Oh no," Sona said shaking her head negative, "I told her about the time travel. You're now the expert on the **[Master Key]** , you tell her."

"Will someone tell me what this is about and what the **[Master Key]** is?" Serafall insisted.

Ambrose pinched the bridge of his nose, took a big sigh and started explaining.

All in all, Sona thought her Onee-sama took it very well.

" **You Stay The Hell Away From My So-tan!** " Serafall screamed at Ambrose, putting herself between him and Sona.

" _Pretty well considering the successor of the devil's ancient enemy is standing right in front of her."_ Sona thought.

"Oh come on." Ambrose said, trying to reason with the Maō. "You really think I'm a threat? I brought Sona here to help solve all this."

"You Kidnapped Her!" Serafall argued back pointing her finger accusingly at Ambrose.

"And I'm going to bring her back to the exact moment she left." Ambrose reasoned, "Stronger, smarter, and better prepared than before. I also brought you back to life, doesn't all that count for something?"

"Like I can trust anything you have to say!" Serafall shouted back.

"Onee-sama." Sona tried to interrupt their argument.

"What? You think the Old Deus is influencing me?" Ambrose said, beginning to raise his voice.

" _The subject of the biblical God was always a sore topic with him."_ Sona thought, trying to figure out a way to stop the two people she cared for the most from arguing.

"I have just enough reason to hate Him as you do!" Ambrose shouted back, "He's an egotistical prick who got upset that His creation, the universe, didn't turn out exactly as He planned. He waged war on anything that didn't fit His narrative. You think I was part of the plan? He tried to murder me. Completely take over my body and destroy my mind."

"What?" Serafall asked in shock.

"That's right, He attacked me." Ambrose shouted, "Started altering my DNA in order to be a better vessel for His power. If I wasn't in this apocalyptic future He would have succeeded. It was only after showing Him the result of His failure and the cost of His war against everything that he didn't agree with did he finally wither and die."

"Am-chan please, calm down." Sona pleaded, reaching out to touch him in an attempt to comfort him.

It seemed to work, as soon as Sona touched his arm Ambrose seemed to deflate. The tension began to leave his body and he took a big sigh to calm himself.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." Ambrose apologized.

"I-I didn't know." Serafall said softly, "I'm sorry too."

"Look, I know we have our differences." Ambrose reasoned, finally calming down. "But we also have a lot in common."

"Like what?" Serafall asked curiously.

"We're both really good at ice magic." Ambrose pointed out, "And Sona is the most important person in our lives. Can we at least try to get along for Sona's sake?"

"Alright." Serafall said after a moment of consideration. "But only for So-tan."

"Can we get back to the videos?" Sona suggested, "We still have a lot to view and plan."

"We can't really plan any further than Kokabiels' attack." Ambrose said, "Once we change that event the entire timeline will change along with it. The only thing these videos are good for is to build up psychological profiles of the enemies we face, as well as a chance to study their tactics."

"That makes sense." Serafall reasoned, "Change one thing and everything that follows will change."

"I also want you to make your own recordings." Ambrose said, "Even if there are differences, the similarities are what's important. Targets that they hit, tactics they use. If we can identify these things and I can pass the information on to you in the past we can save a lot of lives."

"What about Oasis?" Sona thought, "What if we create an Oasis in the underworld, could that help?"

"It would take a lot of effort and resources in order to accomplish it." Ambrose replied, "I could do it if I had the land and we took enough time here in this future for me to gather and transmute the resources I need; however, I'd have to go back and forth a few times to make sure the wards around the area actually hold. There's also the fact that travel between here and the Underworld in the future is extremely dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Serafall asked, "The train wouldn't work, but you could travel alone with out it."

"Except that in order to cross between worlds you'd have through the Dimensional Gap, which is inhabited by Ophis." Ambrose explained. "I'm not exactly eager to confront her. There is another way, a secret way to travel to the Underworld, but we can't do it this time of year."

"What way is that?" Sona asked.

"The corpse of Great Red is a dimensional destabilizer." Ambrose said, "It's how I traveled back and forth before, but the location of his death is different a lot of times. There are a few likely locations, Kyoto being one of them, but his corpse isn't always there."

"He's in Uluru." Serafall said, "That's where the final battle was, Australia."

"We can't cross into the southern hemisphere till the spring." Ambrose said. "Winter will be upon us soon as the great ocean that formed will soon freeze into a glacier. Once spring comes and the glacier starts to melt can we sail across as the ocean migrates south."

"What if we could bypass all of that." Sona said, "The problem isn't just finding a suitable location to ward off in the past, but being able to travel there in the future. Am-chan, didn't you say that you created a dimensional gateway. Arches that you could walk through one and come out the other, no matter the distance?"

"That could work." Ambrose thoughtfully said, "The only issue is that we'd have to manually bring one of the gates to the underworld in the future. The temporal wards I've designed for this house means that any changes to the timeline doesn't affect what's inside of the wards. So once we find a suitable location we could theoretically start laying the foundation so Devils and Fallen Angels have a safe place to go if things get really bad."

"All this time travel business is making my head hurt." Serafall complained.

"It's alright Onee-sama." Sona reassured her sister, "It hurts my head sometimes too, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it."

"We've got a lot of work to do." Ambrose said, "If either of you know a suitable location with good ley lines in the Underworld we can save a lot of time to build a sanctuary there. In the meantime, we've got to review all of these recordings as well as make recordings of Serafall. It's a good thing winter is on its way, because we'll be pretty much snowed in once everything freezes."


	8. Prequel Chapter 7

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Ambrose's words were indeed true; as winter came the ocean over the mountain quickly turned into a glacier that soon grew taller than the mountain itself. There wasn't much for the trio to do but prepare themselves for their monumental task of changing the future.

Serafall proved to be quite helpful, providing as many details as possible for the Khaos Brigade's tactics and targets. As a Maō, she held information that wasn't readily available to the public, nor to Sona's alternate future self. Sona continued her physical training in the gym, mostly working on her endurance and flexibility. Ambrose had begun instructing her on martial arts techniques which highlighted her strengths, but advised her to begin thinking of ways to incorporate her affinity for water magic in any style of fighting she used. Ambrose, himself, spent his time with both sisters, dividing it between understanding his opponents with Serafall and improving Sona's hand to hand fighting skills.

Sona's instructors wasn't limited to just Ambrose, one day Serafall announced that she was going to teach Sona a secret technique which could come in handy in the future. Sona was quite excited, Serafall had never once offered to train her, often saying that she would deal with any foes who would dare to challenge her So-tan.

This was a monumental event in Sona's mind. Not only was Serafall finally recognizing her abilities, but she would be trained personally by a Maō.

The sisters entered the gym, while it was spacious Sona thought it was strange and suggested that they should go outside to begin training.

"Outside?" Serafall innocently asked, "It's cold outside, why would we go out there?"

"Aren't we going to be practicing magic?" Sona asked confused, "I thought we were going to improve my abilities in ice magic."

"You can use ice magic now, So-tan?" Serafall excitedly asked.

"A little bit." Sona said.

"It would be wonderful if both of us could use ice magic. It would show our affinity for one another! Show me!" Serafall encouragingly implored her sister.

Sona turned to look at the Wing Chun wooden dummy that she started to used in order to train in martial arts. She quickly gathered her magic, condensing and compacting it together, and sent it towards the wooden dummy. The result was less than spectacular, a partially frozen slush mix covered the wooden dummy and now dripped on the floor. Unsatisfied, Sona concentrated further to condense the water on it until it froze solid; however, the wooden dummy wasn't completely encased in ice.

"Wow So-tan, I'm impressed." Serafall said inspecting her sister's work.

"Thank you, but I know you're just being kind." Sona said, disappointed in her work. "This is why I wanted your help."

"Well, I was actually going to teach you something else." Serafall admitted reluctantly.

"Really?", Sona questioned, her curiosity peaked.

"Yes, but this is serious business." Serafall said with earnest. "Top secret business, knowledge only known to the Maōs."

Sona blinked, "Onee-sama, should you be telling me this?"

Serafall had never disclosed anything top secret or confidential before. She even kept the death of the biblical God secret, only revealing the truth behind it once she learned about the **[Master Key]**.

"I'm afraid I have no choice, Sona." Serafall somberly replied, forgoing the nickname she usually used for her sister. "You see, the Maōs have long theorized that time travel, that is travel beyond just a few hours in the past, was theoretically possible. While we could never have imagined that traveling to the future was possible, we theorized a scenario where someone might travel to the past to warn us of an upcoming catastrophe. We realized that if someone were to travel back to the past to warn us of the future they might not have any proof, so we came up with a method. A secret password we would only teach to time travelers who came back in time to warn us of a disaster. Each Maō have their own secret code, a code that could only be verified by our past selves so that we would know that this person is our time traveling ambassador."

Sona blinked in response, not only surprised by the seriousness of her sister but the foresight of the Maōs.

"Sona, you are going to be my ambassador." Serafall said, the severity of the conversation was apparent due to the fact that she didn't use that terrible nickname. "I'm going to teach you my secret code so that if you come into trouble in the past, if the Maōs start to question your motives or actions you can recite this code and we'll know you're a time traveler who's come to save us."

"I understand." Sona replied, ready to do her part as Maō Leviathan's temporal ambassador.

"I need you to pay close attention and memorize this code in its entirety. Can you do that Sona?" Serafall asked.

"Of course, Onee-sama." Sona replied, her entire focus was now on her sister. Sona's exceptional intellect was ready to memorize every detail.

"Very well, watch closely." Serafall said as she stepped back from Sona and took a deep breath to center herself before she began to recite the secret code.

"Milulun! Milu-milu!" Serafall said with a cute voice as she twirled twice in place and then began to do an intricate poses, "In The Name Of Maō Leviathan I Have Come To The Past To Save The Underworld!" Serafall ended the choreographed routine with a pose and a wink.

"Onee-sama!" Sona said after watching the magical girl routine, "I thought you said this was serious!"

"This is serious. No one knows this secret code but me. This is my code, So-tan." Serafall insisted, "You have to do it exactly like I did so I'll know it's true. This is important."

Sona cringed in embarrassment, she should have realized her Onee-sama would make a code so ridiculous.

Sighing to herself, Sona did her best to mimic the 'secret code.'

"Milulun! Milu-milu!" Sona recited in a monotone voice, "In The Name Of Maō Leviathan I Have Come To The Past To Save The Underworld!", she finished with stiff movements.

"No, no! That's no good, So-tan!" Serafall said, scolding her sister. "You have to say it cutely."

"Cutely?" Sona said with embarrassment.

"Here, I'll do it with you! Okay?" Serafall suggested.

"Fine." Sona replied while blushing.

"Milulun! Milu-milu!" Serafall and Sona said with a cute voices, twirling twice in place and then began to do intricate poses in unison, "In The Name Of Maō Leviathan I Have Come To The Past To Save The Underworld!" They both ended the choreographed routine with a pose and a wink.

"You two are so adorable." Ambrose said as he leaned against the gym door frame having watched the entire performance.

Both Serafall and Sona blushed, although Sona's embarrassment was due to mortification.

Serafall thanked him for the compliment; however, gently scolded him for interfering in Maō business. She was satisfied when Ambrose promised never to reveal the code to anyone, nor attempt to use the code himself.

Sona only wished she could deny all knowledge of the code as well.

Despite the embarrassing situation, Sona was glad to see that her Onee-sama and fiance had begun to get along. She even saw them playing a large game of chess once with magically animated snowmen outside; however, the match quickly devolved into a good nature snow fight between the opposing snowmen forces.

Despite being snowed inside a valley, and their interaction with the town of Oasis kept to a minimum, there was a variety of things to do. Sona began playing the piano once more; the enjoyment of playing duets with Ambrose far outweighed the overbearing criticism of her skills during her mother's lessons. Serafall enjoyed their performances as well, irregardless of the fact that she was their one and only captive audience. Even though they were sisters Maō Leviathan, then Serafall Sitri, didn't have the same upbringing as Sona. Sona grew up in a time of peace and therefore had the ability to pursue cultural and artistic indulgements such as music. While both sisters had a strict upbringing, Serafall's tutelage focused primarily on intelligence, etiquette, and combat.

All three took advantage of the in home gym, which not only had an array of exercise equipment, but was also open enough to accommodate dance lessons. Both Sona and Serafall insisted that Ambrose was able to dance while also instructing him on etiquette to ensure that he could move freely and comfortably in high society, should the situation arise. Ambrose showed that he had some etiquette lessons before but he took to dancing quite well, often dancing with either sister purely for pleasure.

The game room also provided an assortment of entertainment choices which included a chess set, pool table, and pinball machines. Serafall was a huge fan of the wine and spirits that Ambrose created and assured him that they would be in high demand in the Underworld. Sona, however, began to quickly monitor her Onee-sama's alcohol intake, as Serafall became quite frisky when they went to bed after she had a few drinks. Sona once tried to confiscate all the alcohol on the premises but discovered, to her horror, that the entire basement was filled with wine and spirits.

Serafall also complained that there was nothing to watch on TV; despite a few rooms having television sets there were no shows that were aired nor DVDs on the premises, aside from the testimonial recordings of Sona's future self. Serafall was quick to tell Ambrose that if she were to ever visit a house of his in the future, or in the past, he had to have a selection of magical girl shows for her to watch. When Ambrose asked what she meant by "magical girl" shows, he was quickly educated on the particulars of the Japanese Magical Girl genre.

Despite the fact that Serafall and Ambrose seemed to be getting along, Serafall remained very protective of Sona and refused to be separated from her at night, even refusing to move into one of the many spare bedrooms. Sona and Ambrose were only together that one night and Sona was beginning to feel sexually frustrated; the memory of her and Ambrose's only time together lingered in her mind and made her ache for a repeat performance. She even attempted to sneak into Ambrose's room quite a number of nights, but Serafall was a light sleeper and always woke up whenever Sona made it to the bedroom door. By the time spring came around and the glaciers began to melt Sona had had enough and finally confronted her sister.

"Onee-sama, you're being unreasonable." Sona explained, "Am-chan is my fiance and we've been together long enough to be able to share a bed."

"No So-tan", Serafall complained, "He'll do things and hurt you."

"We've already done _things_ , and he was very gentle." Sona replied.

"No, So-tan. You're not married yet, and I haven't been able to change the laws so that we can be married." Serafall argued.

"Onee-sama!" Sona said with a blush, "You need to stop this and let go. Am-chan and I are a couple, he is my legitimate fiance, and quite frankly men need to release their urges every now and then. I'm worried about him."

"I don't see why he has to have his wicked way with you. He can take care of that problem by himself." Serafall said with a pout.

"I want to take care of it for him." Sona explained, "It's not out of duty, I enjoy being with him. It feels wonderful; he makes me feel wonderful."

"R-Really?" Serafall asked uncertainly. "H-how wonderful?"

"Like nothing I've ever felt before." Sona said with a smile, her thoughts trailing off to their last and only night together.

Serafall pouted and growled in frustration.

Sona sighed and looked out the window, hoping to figure out an answer to her current dilemma. She was surprised to see one presented to her in the town below. It looked as if the town of Oasis was becoming more active since spring was here and the citizens were preparing for a festival of some sorts.

"How about a date?", Sona asked.

"Really?" Serafall asked excitedly.

"I mean a date between me and Am-chan." Sona clarified, "We need some time alone, so how about he and I go out to town for the evening? You'll be alright for just one evening and we'll be in a public place so you won't have to chaperon us."

"Fine." Serafall said with a huff and crossed her arms.

"Thank you, Onee-sama. I'm going to tell Am-chan" Sona excitedly said and rushed out the door.

Serafall watched her sister leave, missing her presence already. She knew she was going to be quite bored with out her So-tan and Am-chan.

" _If only there was something to watch."_ Serafall wondered; her attention was then drawn to the DVD player in the bedroom, she was surprised to find a DVD in it already.

"Am-chan!" Sona called out as she rushed to the garden on the roof. She found him planting a few crops in preparation for the spring weather. He was shirtless, sweaty, and in Sona's mind, _"Delicious."_

"What's the big rush?" Ambrose asked, wiping his brow.

"We're going on a date tonight." Sona said, matter-of-factly.

"What, really?", Ambrose asked surprised.

"I have received 'permission' from Onee-sama, who's agreed to let us out of her sight for the entire evening." Sona explained, "Seems there's a festival in town and I thought the two of us could go check it out."

"That does sound like fun." Ambrose said with a smile.

"And maybe," Sona said in a whisper, moving in for the proverbial kill, "We could sneak away from the festival and find some secluded place, just the two of us."

"That sounds like more fun." Ambrose said with a grin and gave Sona a kiss full of longing.

"You go take a shower, I'm going to find something suitable to wear so we can blend in." Sona excitedly said and ran off to get ready.

Despite the importance of the event, Sona wore no makeup for her date and the dress she chose to wear was rather plan. There were no synthetic fabrics in the future, and the dyes were rather ordinary; even Sona's glasses could be considered a luxury item in the future. Never the less, Sona didn't mind; after being cooped up in the house all winter and not having any alone time with her fiance, Sona felt like they were going out on the town.

The couple bid adieu to a rather pensive Serafall, who insisted she would be fine for the evening and promised Sona that she wouldn't get into any of Ambrose's drinks.

Hand in hand, the pair made their way down to the town where there were lights, streamers, as well as vendors selling food and games with prizes. It was a strange mix of western and eastern games; with goldfish scoops, high strikes, target practices, and ring tosses. The town's cheerful attitude was quite infectious; however, their mood was slightly dampened when they discovered that the town was celebrating the 500th anniversary of Oasis's foundation.

" _I knew the war was going to happen soon, but I didn't realize everything is going to end in a year from when we left."_ Sona morosely thought, but quickly shook those thoughts off. _"We're going to change it."_ She reminded herself.

The pair was content to simply walk around and take in the sights. The people of Oasis were in a cheery mood, not only to celebrate the founding of Oasis, but to also escape their homes after the long winter and enjoy the warm weather. Sona and Ambrose were also glad to escape their own home but were resolved to remain a polite distance from the townsfolk. They watched them play games as they purchased a bit of food from the stalls, and then snuggled close together when the fireworks began.

After the firework show, the pair decided to find a nice secluded spot to have some 'alone time'; however, what they found instead was a barn with rather lively music playing and a number of people dancing within.

The two shared a smile between them and quickly went inside.

The music, as well as the instruments, the band played were rather simplistic: string guitars, tambourines, drums, some brass horns. It didn't matter to Sona nor Ambrose as the two quickly joined in and danced along with the lively tunes, perfectly content to spend this time together. They continued to dance and after a few songs the band decided to take a break, so the pair made their way to a refreshment table for drinks.

An old man with thin gray hair, sunken eyes, and gaunt face silently approached them, startling both of them. "Always nice to see new people." He said in a soft voice.

Sona and Ambrose smiled politely and moved to leave, but the crowd made it too difficult.

"I've seen just about everyone in town." The old man continued with his soft voice. His eyes were wide, but his smile was even wider; a mouth full of yellow teeth. "I get around, love gettin' around. Love talking to people, especially on days like today. Some attend my services, but I don't believe I've seen you two before."

"We're from the outskirts, by the mountain." Ambrose politely explained, "It's a lot of work, trying to make use of such rocky soil."

"Must be why you're both so strong and fit." The old man said, reaching out with his spindly hands to squeeze Ambrose's bicep. "But where are my manners? I am Reverend Kane, but you knew that, didn't you?"

" _Oh great, a priest."_ Sona thought morosely, but didn't allow it to show on her face.

"Nice to meet you Reverend." Ambrose replied trying to remain polite but eager to move on, "I'm Arnold, this is Sophie. We only came here for the music..."

"Ah yes, the music." Reverend Kane said with a frightfully cheerful tone, "Such sweet music. You should come by more often. This is my church, the true church of the Lord. What sweet music we make."

Sona smiled uncomfortably, but didn't want to appear rude or draw any more attention to themselves.

"We would; but like I said, a lot of work goes into making our soil fertile." Ambrose explained, "Perhaps once we have a son or two of our own."

"And what a blessed day that will be." Kane said, licking his lips. "We do love the children here, the boys and the girls."

Sona's eyes widened, a disturbing implication entering her mind.

Sona was definitely no saint, and being a devil meant she was quite familiar with sin. However, Sona grew up in a different time in the Underworld. The invention of **[Evil Pieces]** meant that humans and other supernaturals were turned into devils. As time went by, devil society, and morality, had changed and adapted to reflect that of their newest population. While most high class devils continued to practice the traditions of their heritage the devils, the morality of what was acceptable for a devil had been irrevocably changed. While a devil's morality was not on par with that most humans, the peaceful times that she lived in meant that some things were frowned upon. Things such as what this 'Reverend' had unintentionally implied.

"Perhaps we'll speak more, some other time. There's still so much of the festival to see. Farewell." Ambrose said, leading a grateful Sona out of the barn.

Their egress was impeded by the barn doors closing as they made their way to the exit. Though Sona and Ambrose were slightly alarmed, the people inside the barn paid no attention to the pair and quickly gathered around the stage as the band stop playing and Reverend Kane climbed up on top.

"My flock, My children." Reverend Kane began. "Today is a blessed day, for this town, this Oasis has remained pure for 500 years."

"Praise be." The people chanted.

"We give thanks to you, oh Lord, and to Saint Gargamel for creating this Eden to protect us. For we are His chosen, the ones who will live eternally in this Heaven on Earth, protected from the demons outside."

"Praise be." said the congregation.

" _This is a barn, this isn't a church."_ Sona panically thought, as she and Ambrose quietly made their way to the exit to inspect the door so as to escape.

"But as the Lord commands, we must be fruitful and multiply. Our way, our light will over shadow the darkness beyond these boarders and the darkness within." Reverend Kane said, as he beckoned a young girl no older than 13 to him. "Which is why, on this anniversary of our foundation, we will continue to grow our numbers."

Reverend Kane took the young girl's hand and slipped a ring from his pocket onto her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed..."

" _What. The. Fuck."_ Sona panically thought as Ambrose finally opened the barn door.

Apparently, this drew the attention of the congregation, halting the strange wedding as all of the people inside of the barn turned their eyes to the Ambrose and Sona.

"We're obviously in the wrong place." Sona explained, "We'll be leaving now."

"But you just got here." Reverend Kane said in his hauntingly cheerful voice. "Please, you must stay and join us. I insist."

At those last two words the entire congregation began advancing on the pair. Though they posed no threat, Sona was shaken by the sight of the crazy religious cult and the holy objects they might have on them.

"Ambrose..." Sona said, grasping her fiance's hand.

"Ambrose?" Kane questioned growing slightly alarmed, "I thought your name was Arnold. Who are you, what are you doing here?"

"They're outsiders." Someone in the crowd said, "They don't belong here."

"Sinners."

"Blasphemers."

The people in the crowd began to whisper, "Heretics who've come to end us."

"Let's go, Sophie." Ambrose said, squeezing her hand and turned to walk away.

"Stop them." Kane yelled, "Stop them!"

The pair hurried away but their escape only made it a few steps before a mob of people with torches and pitchfork made their way from the town to the barn.

"There they are!" Someone from the town mob shouted, pointing at the barn. "They're over there!"

" _What the hell is going on?"_ Sona thought, now stuck between a crazy religious cult and an angry mob.

"Kane!" An angry bearded man who lead the mob shouted, "That's my niece you have in there. Unhand her at once you degenerate!"

"Shut up Séamus." A woman from the religious cult shouted back, "It's our duty to increase our numbers so we can repopulate the world!"

"Marie, you're my sister and I love you; despite what this deviant has done to your mind." Séamus shouted back with heartache in his voice, "But I'll not allow him to spoil your daughter. I have half a mind to believe that she is his daughter as well!"

"Just as Lot laid with his daughters to repopulate the world after the destruction of Sodom, so too must we. It is His will and you cannot stop the Lord's will. You and your spies will join our righteous cause or be overtaken and cast out into the wasteland." Reverend Kane said, in his soft voice while pointing at Sona and Ambrose.

"I don't know or care about any spies." Séamus said, dismissing the pair, "But you Kane, your foul deeds are known through out the entire town; your evil here ends tonight. This town has good people in it and we will no longer abide by the depraved acts made by you and your 'church'. We will save our children and burn your unholy 'church' back to hell." He shouted while throwing his torch in the barn.

Some of the people in the barn screamed, while men and women on both sides charged at each other and began fighting. Sona and Ambrose were caught in the middle and were forced to fight their way out of the clash. Both were careful not to use any magic or their full strength less both sides of the mob turn their attention to them.

As they broke away from the fight and escaped, they caught the attention of other citizens; though from which side they did not know. The barn they were on was on the far side of town, completely opposite of Ambrose's home. The pair was forced to run back through the entire town in order to make it back safely.

"After them!" Someone shouted, "Cleans the filth!"

"You just had to build them a church, didn't you?" Sona said, as they ran away.

"It wasn't a church we were in, it was a barn." Ambrose replied as they ran through the town, "And I didn't build anything in this town. I only provided the necessities for them to live, they built everything."

The group that was chasing the pair turned out to be from the religious cult who soon stopped perusing Ambrose and Sona after they made their way passed the town's other church. The angry cult now had a new target decided vent their frustrations by burning the town's church down in retaliation for the destruction of their barn/church.

Sona and Ambrose didn't stop to help anyone, nor did they attempt to put out the fires. They both felt that their presence had caused enough issues with the town. Any attempt to help would involve using their powers, which would only exacerbate the situation and most likely incite more chaos.

The pair rushed into their hidden home. Any excitement they originally felt going to the festival was now replaced with relief from being away from the pandemonium they left behind. They said nothing as they traveled up to the roof, nor did they speak as they gazed down at Oasis. The fires from both the barn and the church had fully engulfed a few buildings, but it seems the people had managed to isolate the fires and no additional fires seemed to emerge.

"What happens now?" Sona asked, "We'll never be welcome in the town again."

"Not in this timeline." Ambrose explained, "The day we arrived in the future is the day we will always arrive in the future. The timeline resets every time we jump back and forth, when we arrive in Oasis next time none of this will have happened. That way we can observe the changes to the timeline with out influencing the changes we cause while in the future, such as this event. A temporal scientific control, as it were. The only changes to the future that stick are the ones we make in our present."

They both continued to stand silently, watching the flames in the distance, wondering which side came out on top.

Serafall soon came up behind them to join them as they gazed on the town below.

"You two had fun." Serafall jokingly said as she watched as the Oasis citizens fight the fires.

Sona was in no mood for jokes and was about to admonish her sister when Ambrose spoke up.

"Well, being engaged to a devil means it's not a romantic date unless you burn down a church or two." Ambrose jested.

Sona's eyed widened and looked at Ambrose in disbelief.

Serafall, however, thought it was the funniest thing she had heard in a long time, and laughed loudly at his joke.

From that moment on Ambrose had somehow proven himself to Serafall and she no longer protested against their engagement. She still wouldn't allow Sona and Ambrose to share the same bed, but whenever their engagement came up Serafall would no longer pout or protest. In fact, Serafall even smiled when she caught the two of them being affectionate with one another instead of inserting herself between the two of them. It all a moot point, in Sona's mind, for when she and Ambrose would eventually head back to their present Serafall would remain behind and Ambrose would have to earn Serafall's trust all over again. Still, there was hope that Ambrose could make a better first impression as Sona noticed that Serafall had grown quite attached to Ambrose. Her Onee-sama would often follow him around, wanting to know more about him and telling him a bit about herself in return. Sona would often find them laughing and joking together and Sona would have to remind them of the work they needed to finish.

With the inhabitants of Ambrose's house unable to show their faces in town, the trio had to finalize the last bit of their plans. Psychological profiles, dossiers, and attack strategies for the Khaos Brigade were created along with high valuable targets of theft and assassination.

Two months after the fire which burned down the churches of Oasis and one year after they arrived in the future, Sona and Ambrose were ready to leave. They celebrated their hard work with a bottle of Ambrose's wine. Even Sona agreed to partake and complimented her fiance on creating such a fine blend, though she insisted that this wasn't going to be a regular occurrence. Serafall even allowed the pair to share a bed on this last night, but only on the condition that she join them. Sona immediately denied her request, but once more the tears of Serafall Leviathan swayed her sister and dressed in pajamas the three of them had a 'sleep over' in Ambrose's room.

They chose to leave around 8:30 pm the next day, the approximate time in which they left so the pair wouldn't suffer any "jet lag". Despite having to stay behind, Serafall shed no tears about leaving her So-tan and Am-chan.

"It's alright." Serafall explained, "I'm going to see you again soon and all this, this war, won't even be a memory."

"Have you got everything?" Ambrose asked Sona, dressed in the same outfit he arrived in, "We won't be coming back for awhile."

"I didn't bring much." Sona replied, wearing the same little black dress she arrived in, "Oh wait, I forgot my shawl. I'll be just a moment."

As Sona rushed back to her room, Serafall turned to Ambrose. "Am-chan. What's going to happen when you two leave? What's going to happen to me?"

Ambrose looked at Serafall, "It'll be like television." He tried to explain, "You're the actor, and you're playing Miracle Levi-tan. I'm going to change the channel, and you'll suddenly be playing a different part on a different show. You'll still be here in the television, but you won't realize the channel's been changed."

"Will I be here?" Serafall asked for clarification, "I died last time."

"I will always bring you back if you're not here." Ambrose reassured her, "We'd both miss you too much if you weren't in the future with us. Sona loves you very much. And I love you too."

"You do?" Serafall asked with wide eyes.

"You bet I do." Ambrose smiled at her, "I only hope we can become good friends again, just as we are now."

"Maybe I can help with that." Serafall offered, "You see, I've always been scared that someone would come and take my So-tan away from me. So when we meet again, tell me you want to be my Onii-chan."

"I'd love to be your brother." Ambrose said with a smile.

"No, not brother." Serafall shook her head and corrected him, "You have to say 'I want to be your Onii-chan'. Just like that."

"I want to be your Onii-chan." Ambrose said, practicing the phrase.

Serafall looked at him bashfully, "And I can be your Onee-san."

"I'd like that very much, Onee-san." Ambrose said, smiling at her. "And we can be a family."

"Yes." Serafall said with a blush on her cheeks. "Me, you, and So-tan as a family. That's the future I want for us."

"I'll do my best to make it happen, Onee-san." Ambrose said, opening his arms and embracing her.

Sona returned with her shawl and saw a sight that warmed her heart. Her beloved Onee-sama and fiance were saying their goodbyes. The two people she loved the most had gotten along and formed a strong friendship. Sona held hope that they would find their way to rekindle their relationship when the two would meet again.

With a happy smile, Serafall embraced her sister one more time before she left.

"Be sure to call me more often when you travel back to the past." Serafall told her sister, "I'm always missing you So-tan, and I worry about you."

"Maō, I'm a big girl Onee-sama." Sona insisted, "But I promise I'll talk to you more often."

"And Onii-chan, be sure to take care of So-tan for me, okay?" Serafall said to Ambrose with a smile.

"It's a promise." he replied.

Serafall smiled happily at the pair and took a step back as Ambrose activated the time machine.

"Bye So-tan, Bye Onii-chan. Don't forget about me!" She yelled as she waved goodbye.

Once more the bright beacon of light shot up into the air, and with a final farewell Sona and Ambrose stepped into the light and shot off to return to their present time.

* * *

The experience of time traveling was still quite jarring to Sona; however, she did manage to land a little more gracefully than before. She stumbled a bit as she exited, but her firm grasp on Ambrose's hand helped to steady her. The beacon of the time machine was then turned off and the pair found themselves in Ambrose's garden once more.

"We're back." Sona astonishingly said, marveling how everything was just as they left it.

"If someone were to see us leaving it would have looked as if we stepped into the light, a large pulse of light shot up into the sky then fell back down and we would then come out of it. From an outsider's point of view we were only gone 6.5 seconds." Ambrose explained.

"Do you think we can do it?" Sona asked, "Change the future?"

"We'll only get one shot, there are no do-overs." Ambrose explained, "But we can do it. Also, I believe you and I have something we need to finish."

"Oh, what's that?" Sona asked curiously while mentally going over everything for their immediate plans.

"I never finished giving you the tour of my home." Ambrose said with a smile. "We still have the library to view, and I also want to key you to the wards so you can come and go as you please."

Sona laughed, realizing that her tour of Ambrose's house felt like it took a year.

"Maybe later." Sona said, "We only have two hours until my peerage will start to worry. So there's only one more thing I want to see."

"What's that?" Ambrose asked.

"Your bedroom." Sona replied leaning into Ambrose, "Tomorrow we'll have to maintain our ruse, but tonight… Tonight I'm yours."

* * *

It was almost 11 o'clock by the time Sona returned to her apartment. She was, at first, surprised to see the lights were still on but soon found her **[Pawn]** Ruruko, **[Bishop]** Momo, and **[Queen]** Tsubaki watching a romance show on the television. Sona didn't announce her presence at first, she was quite content to watch the three members of her peerage, paying close attention to the two who had died in an alternate future.

They were alive, happy, and waiting for their **[King]** to return from 'The Big Date', as Momo had called it.

"I'm back." Sona said, the true meaning of that statement lost on the other three girls.

"Welcome back Kaichō" Tsubaki greeted her.

"Kaichō, how was it?" Ruruko asked, eager for the details, "Was it romantic, did the two of you fall in love?"

Momo giggled at Ruruko's antics but was quite eager to hear the details herself.

"I had a lovely time, thank you for asking" Sona said, "but we mostly talked other things. It seems Ambrose had a lot more information to give me than I had originally thought."

"Oh, like what?" Tsubaki questioned. "Is he Millicas?"

"I don't think so," Sona admitted, "But we mainly focused on other stuff."

"Oh, tell us." Ruruko said with Momo nodding next to her.

"You want to know?", Sona teased. "It's a long story."

Tsubaki frowned in thought but Ruruko and Momo easily took the bait. "Yes, tell us."

"Grab your shoes ladies." Sona said, "We're going to Kuoh Academy and I'll tell you there."

"Why are we going to Kuoh this late?" Tsubaki asked.

"Kuoh Academy is about to get a new transfer student." Sona said with a knowing smile.


	9. Season 1, Chapter 1

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Kuoh Academy was owned by a private limited liability shell corporation who's paper trail lead to people that didn't actually exist. These people didn't exist because they weren't exactly people, they were devils.

Maō Lucifer and Maō Leviathan were not going to let their younger siblings run off into the human world and go to school on their own. Devils were known for excess, so to ensure their younger siblings got the best education possible in the human world, the two Maōs built Kuoh Academy and hired the best teachers and faculty money could buy. So while Sona Sitri, or Souna Shitori as she was known publicly, didn't run the school, she was related to one of the owners and thus had the keys to come and go as she pleased.

It was also fortunate that Sona wanted to build her own school in the Underworld, and that her sole purpose for agreeing to come to the human world was to study its education system. This meant that Sona knew the ins and outs of not only how the teachers ran their classrooms, but also how the administration functioned.

Sona, Tsubaki, Momo, and Ruruko silently made their way across the dark hallways of Kuoh; their devil sight allowed them to successfully navigate the shadowy pathways. Their mission was to infiltrate Kuoh Academy and place Ambrose's school records, that had been properly modified to be used for the non-supernatural world, into the school system so he could begin taking classes the next day.

" _Or this morning, as it were, since it's now past midnight."_ Sona thought to herself as she led three members of her peerage through the dark school hallways. She was glad she had previously insisted on maintaining secrecy when Ambrose first walked into her office, back when she suspected him of being Millicas Gremory. This secrecy would prove useful if Ambrose and her were to effectively carry out their ruse to change the future. Her **[Queen]** Tsubaki, **[Bishop]** Momo, and **[Pawn]** Ruruko were going to to be her co-conspirators; however, they could never know the full depth of the plan that was about to be implemented.

"Kaichō, if the Dragon-Slayer is not Millicas then why are we here so late?" Tsubaki questioned, yet dutifully followed her **[King]**.

"You recall the Dragon-Slayer saying that he had business with me?" Sona asked and received a nod in return. "He provided me with information; Fallen Angels are going to infiltrate Kuoh City and will begin to covertly attack us and the humans here."

"What?" Momo asked in shock, only to be shushed for her loud outburst. "But why?" Momo whispered back.

"He's not sure, but they might have gone rogue." Sona whispered back. "We don't know for certain. What we do know is that they will definitely attack."

"How did he come by this information?" Tsubaki questioned.

"Sorcerers aren't aligned with any celestial faction." Momo explained. "It's possible he over heard something he wasn't meant to."

Momo had come from a family of magicians, so knew the ins and outs of magical society quite well. Momo's father had close business relations and had a 'magician's pact' with Sona's father, so the two girls knew each other quite well.

"He has an inside source." Sona clarified as they approached the faculty office and used a slight application of magic to enter. "A source that he can continue to gain information from, but only if this individual can remain undiscovered."

"Why would the Dragon-Slayer help us?" Ruruko asked as they entered the office, "He's not aligned with any faction."

"Another war between the three celestial factions would undoubtedly spill into this world." Momo said, educating their underclassman. "The magicals of this world wouldn't want that."

"So why are we breaking in at night to forge the Dragon-Slayer's acceptance into Kuoh Academy?" Tsubaki questioned, "And why are we sneaking around instead of using magic to teleport us in?"

"We can't exactly do anything against the Fallen Angels, can we?" Sona replied as they began to spread out in the dark office. "Nor can we let anyone, even Rias, know of this plan."

"What do you mean?" Ruruko asked, not having mastered the subtleties of supernatural politics.

"If we retaliate when the Fallen Angels attack it'll turn into a 'we said, they said' moment. Skirmishes like this happen quite a bit, but there isn't anything we can do to retaliate unless the fight turns lethal; even then there will be reprisals on both sides. The Dragon-Slayer believes this isn't a mere skirmish that these Fallen Angels are planning and he also fears that the humans might be caught in the crossfire." Sona explained. "His original plan was to warn us of the attack and then leave."

"So why is he staying?" Momo asked as she started gathering blank enrollment forms.

"Because Kaichō used her womanly charms to convince him to stay." Ruruko giggled as she lifted up a keyboard to see a list of passwords that an absent minded faculty member left as a reminder.

"I didn't mention the engagement to him yet, but you're not too far off." Sona admitted while using a bit of magic to forge a few signatures. "I couldn't let him leave town, not after he beat me in chess; and we can't exactly deal with the Fallen Angels on our own with out causing a diplomatic incident."

"So he deals with the Fallen Angels for us, and gets what in return?" Tsubaki asked as she watched Ruruko expertly navigate the computer files. "And why not bring this to Gremory-san?"

"As far as Rias goes, he didn't go to her because she's Governor and might already be under surveillance. She would be the obvious person that this information would go to." Sona replied. "And as far as what he's getting in return, the answer is 'not much'. If he's going to handle the Fallen Angels then it has to appear as if he's acting alone, so we can't exactly compensate him directly. Secrecy must be maintained, there cannot be any ties linking the Dragon-Slayer with either peerage."

"All done." Ruruko said, logging off the computer.

"Same here." Momo replied, "I've placed the files on Tanaka-sensei's desk. She's notorious for losing files, so this will be nothing new."

"Are you sure you want him in our class?" Tsubaki asked, "If he's suppose to maintain a distance, wouldn't it be better to put him in another class, perhaps another year?"

"He's not enrolling into our class, he's enrolling into the advanced class that we happen to be in. The Dragon-Slayer is a genius, he'd be bored in any other class." Sona explained to her **[Queen]** , "Part of our agreement, and his payment, is that he gets to enroll in Kuoh Academy so that he can use his time here as a prep school for college, and Kuoh University is world renowned. He's an alchemist, so since he's finished his formal magical education he wants to focus on studying Science and Medicine."

"I think Kaichō secretly wants to keep her new fiance close." Ruruko teased.

"Maybe." Sona admitted with a blush, "He doesn't have any ties to the devils or Underworld, nor did he seem interested in being turned to a devil. I don't even have the pieces available to turn him, even if he were interested. He doesn't know the consequences of our chess match so I can't let him leave the city or abandon his engagement to me. I have to figure out some way to keep him close while also trying to maintain some distance so he can deal with this Fallen Angel mess. It's quite troubling."

"You could always ask Rias to turn him." Momo suggested with an innocent smile.

"No!" Sona replied far too quickly and loudly.

"Kaichō likes him." Ruruko giggled as the group left Kuoh Academy as quietly as they came.

* * *

The next morning found Sona Sitri leaning against a column on the second floor indoor balcony, silently watching one of the faculty members show Kuoh's newest student around his new school. She was quite pleased that she and her peerage was able to insert him into the enrollment process so seamlessly overnight. Sona's eyes followed Ambrose, admiring how he looked in the Kuoh uniform.

Unlike the female students, most of the male students chose to forgo certain parts of their uniform. Most, like Saji and Kiba, chose not to wear the jacket; others chose not to wear the tie. Then there were some, such as Hyoudou-san, chose not to wear the jacket, tie, or even bother to button up their shirt. Ambrose, it seemed, chose to wear the jacket and shirt with only one button undone, but he left the tie behind. While Ambrose did wear a long neck tie when they first met, it appeared the colonial tie that was part of the school uniform just wasn't his style.

" _Ambrose must hate the tie."_ Sona observed with a smile.

It was strange for Sona to see him yet not approach him. It was even stranger when one compounded it all with the whole time travel business. She had technically met him yesterday, spent a year with him and fell in love, while he had loved her before she had ever met him. Now they both had to pretend like none of it ever happened. No one even realized she had ever left; her peerage hadn't missed her, or even noticed her absence. Everything was just how she left it.

"Good Morning Sona." A voice said off to the side.

Sona turned her head and saw her childhood friend, Rias Gremory, smiling at her; she greeted her as she did every day since they came into the human world.

"Good morning Rias." Sona replied back with a smile.

Rias approached Sona on the balcony, looking down at the students who were making their way to class.

"Having a good morning? What's caught your attention?", Rias asked wondering what made Sona smile.

Sona mentally chastised herself for smiling while silently observing Ambrose from afar. Thankfully he had moved out of sight, so Rias was still completely unaware of Kuoh's new transfer student.

" _This will be the hard part."_ Sona thought, _"I have to inform Rias about Ambrose, but not give away too much. Rias has to be aware of him, yet give him enough distance so he can properly act when the time is right. It's going to be difficult considering how much Ambrose looks like Maō Lucifer."_

"Kuoh Academy has a new transfer student." Sona simply stated.

"Oh?" Rias asked curiously, "Anything interesting about our new student?"

"He's an alchemist and sorcerer." Sona admitted, "Seems he came to Kuoh Academy in preparation for enrolling in Kuoh University."

"Really?" Rias asked, her curiosity peeked.

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed, Rias." Sona said with a shake of her head.

"Why?" Rias asked with a frown, "Did you approach him already."

"He approached me." Sona clarified, "However it wasn't about what you're thinking. He doesn't want to get involved in our business."

The five minute warning bell chimed, signaling that classes were beginning soon and that all students must make their way to their classrooms.

"We'll talk about this later." Rias said, turning around to head to class herself.

"Rias." Sona called out, stopping her friend from going to class.

Rias turned to look at Sona, wondering what was so important.

"If you see our new transfer student, don't approach him until you speak with me." Sona insisted.

"If you say so." Rias replied then resumed her walk to class.

Sona made her way to class with plenty of time to spare and sat in the first desk on the first row. Class 1-A was reserved for the best of Kuoh, the elite 'crème de la crème'. Money and influence could get you into the school, but only intelligence could get you admitted into this class. Out of all the devils in Kuoh, only Tsubaki and Sona were admitted into this class. Rias and her **[Queen]** , Akeno Himejima, were the only other two devil seniors in Kuoh Academy, and they were currently in class 1-C.

"Hey, did you hear?" One of the classmates whispered, "There's a new transfer student."

"I heard he's cute." a student whispered.

"I think he's Gremory-san's brother." said another one.

" _This is going to be more difficult than I thought."_ Sona realized as rumors of Ambrose's relation to Rias were already being speculated.

The homeroom teacher entered the room and Sona, being the class rep as well as student council president, commanded the class to 'Rise', 'Bow', and 'Be Seated'. Their homeroom teacher began with a few announcements before starting their 1st period instruction a bit early. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary, the class of 1-A was always ready to put their noses in their books. However Sona began to worry as the class went on. Transfer students were introduced in homeroom, and Sensei should have introduced Ambrose by now. It wasn't until 1st period had almost ended that the class was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Sensei didn't say anything, he merely shuffled out the door like he was expecting it. As soon as the door closed the class began to quietly whisper to themselves, wondering what the interruption was about.

The hushed whispers of the entire class was soon silenced when they heard their homeroom teacher exclaim loudly outside of the door. "What?"

Sona could make out three shadows from the frosted glass window: one was Sensei, one was a faculty member, and one was Ambrose's silhouette.

"What?!" Sensei loudly said again, almost shouting from the other side of the door which caused the student to whisper to one another once more.

Sona paid no mind to her classmates, her thoughts were focused on what was on the other side of the classroom door.

" _Has something gone wrong?"_ , Sona wondered, _"Were we discovered? Did we miss something?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted by their Sensei reentering the classroom, this time with Ambrose following behind him. The students, themselves, quickly hushed as they wondered what was going on.

"Students," Sensei began, "I'd like to introduce you to Ambrose Dragon-Slayer who's who'll be joining you from here on out. It seems that the Dragon-Slayer has passed the entrance exam with a perfect score."

"What? Impossible!", shouted Takumi who pointed a finger accusingly at Ambrose. While intelligent enough to be admitted in this class, Takumi was a loud braggart who always tried to appear smarter than he actually was, "No one's gotten a perfect score, he must have cheated!"

Sona couldn't help but turn around and glare at the loud student; though it was in defense of Ambrose, the class assumed it was because Takumi spoke out of turn. He quickly wilted under Sona's harsh look.

"Yeah, the faculty thought so too." Sensei said with a chuckle, "So they made him take another test made up of questions from your final exam. He got a perfect score on that one too."

" _You could have at least gotten a few questions wrong, Am-chan."_ Sona jealously thought.

"Are there any questions?" Sensei asked the class.

"Where will I be sitting?" Ambrose spoke up.

"Eh? Oh, there's an empty seat in the back by the window. You can sit there." Sensei said while pointing to the seat as far away as possible from Sona. Sensei then explained to Ambrose, "I was actually asking if the students had any questions for you. Most new students like to introduce themselves to their new classmates."

"Oh, alright." Ambrose replied with a shrug. "Are there any questions for me?"

"What kind of a name is Dragon-Slayer?", Takumi spoke up again.

"My guess is that an ancestor of mine liked to tell tall tales." Ambrose smoothly replied, and the class chuckled in response.

"Are you related to Gremory-san?", another student asked.

Honestly, Sona would have been surprised if no one had asked that question.

"I'm afraid I don't know anyone named Gremory." Ambrose admitted.

"Where are you from?"

"I was raised in France, but I've mostly studied in throughout Europe." Ambrose replied.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" asked a normally shy bespectacled girl.

Sona's eye twitched at the question. _"Like you have a chance."_

"I just moved here." Ambrose said with a laugh, "Despite the stereotypes of the French, I'd have to be a smooth operator to get a girlfriend as soon as I moved here."

Sona couldn't help but grin, and barely contained a snicker at that remark. _"Don't make me laugh, Am-chan."_

With that the bell for 2nd period chimed and Ambrose took his seat as their homeroom teacher left the class to be replaced by their next teacher.

Classes resumed as normal; the students in class 1-A were not so easily distracted by a transfer student, at least while the there was a teacher around. Their calculus teacher did attempt to surprise Ambrose with a particularly difficult differential equation; however, Ambrose gave the answer immediately aloud and then went up to the board to solve it in front of the class.

Sona couldn't help but smile as Ambrose broke the problem down for the class, step by step. It was his own teaching method, breaking things down into smaller more manageable problems. For a moment it even seemed like he was the teacher, as their current Sensei watched him use methods that easily made sense but also differed from the way she normally taught.

Ambrose returned to his seat after his demonstration, and was left alone for the most part. Sona didn't dare turn around to watch him, they had to remain separate and unfamiliar with each other. And so she sat, feeling quite bored with today's lessons. They all came especially easy to her, easier than they ever had before. Still, she wouldn't allow her boredom to show, appearances had to be maintained at all times.

When lunch time came, Sona and Tsubaki left the classroom and headed to the student council office with out so much as glancing at Ambrose. She didn't have to see him to know he was going to be swarmed with teens who were fascinated by Kuoh's newest foreign transfer student.

The student council always ate their lunch inside their club room, and today was no different; however, Sona had other instructions for her peerage instead of their usual activities. She was going to take the advice of her future self and begin to seriously train her peerage. Sona informed them all that they would no longer be doing contracts with humans, they would be focusing solely on training. There were a few groans; however, only Tsubaki, Momo, and Ruruko had any inkling of the reason behind such change. Sona handed her peerage their student council duties at lunch, instructing them to finish them quickly after school so they could begin training right away.

The day dragged on after lunch but proceeded quite normally from that point on. Soon the final bell rung and the students left to go to their respective clubs or to head home. Tsubaki and Sona left with out a word to the student council office again in order to quickly finish today's activities before training. As Sona sat down at her desk, she began to go through the never ending pile of paperwork that had been accumulating.

It wasn't until she noticed that Tsubaki was having a hard time keeping up that Sona had realized she was completing her tasks at a speed she had previously never done before. As student council president, she mainly dealt with budgetary concerns for clubs and other requests. It seemed as if her mental training with logic books through Ambrose's 'Osmosis' potion granted her a greater sense of recollection. She no longer had to look at charts to see how much a club was spending, and could recall these facts and numbers easily after only glancing at them once.

She hadn't noticed the full effects of the potion before, she only noticed the enhanced amount of knowledge she was able to retain after taking 'Osmosis'. Everything was different in the future, so she constantly had to learn about her new environment. But here things were familiar, and the result of her enhanced reasoning and recollection when applied to this familiar environment was spectacular. It was as if a veil had been lifted from her mind that she hadn't even realized was there. She could recall things with out having to glance at charts twice in order to double check the numbers. She worked much more efficiently than ever before and the work that would normally take her 6 hours was done in 10 minutes. In the 20 minutes after that she had sorted out the budgetary needs for all the school clubs for the entire year by recalling what their budget was last year, planning for upcoming activities that annually did well, while making adjustments for price inflation and club population numbers.

"What was all that?" Tsubaki asked amazed.

"The result of a memory enhancement potion from our new alchemist friend." Sona admitted with a smile.

"Does he have anymore?" Tsubaki asked with an eager smile of her own.

"It's permanent." Sona replied as a subtle warning.

"And now I want it even more." Tsubaki insisted.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and the entire female kendo club entered while frogmarching in the infamous perverted trio.

"What's this about?" Sona questioned, both curious and amused.

"We're sorry Kaichō, but we didn't know who else to turn to." Murayama-san admitted, "It's these perverts. We caught them peeping on us again."

"Kuoh doesn't have a disciplinary committee." Tsubaki said, "What do you expect us to do it about it?"

"I-I don't know." Murayama-san stated with frustration, "But the new transfer student suggested we bring them to you. Their perversion is affecting our club, all the girls' clubs! Yesterday it was the swimming team, the day before it was the tennis. Last week it was the track team in their locker rooms. The faculty won't do anything about it, and quite frankly we're worried that all girls' club attendances will soon suffer because of these three."

" _Am-chan sent them?"_ Sona asked herself in surprise while taking a good look at the three.

They weren't much to look at. Matsuda was tall and bald; Sona recalled that he used to be in sports before he was kicked out due to poor grades. Motohama was the complete opposite, short, non-athletic, but had better than average grades. The third one however….

"Hyoudou-san, right?", Sona questioned.

"H-Hai, Kaichō.", he replied uncertainty.

Issei Hyoudou was the student who was fated to die in a short time from now, the one who would be killed by Fallen Angels. Sona understood why Ambrose sent him to her, but was unsure what to do about it.

" _What's so special about you, Hyoudou?"_ Sona wondered. _"Why would Fallen Angels take an interest in you?"_

"Please Kaichō." Katase pleaded, "We don't know what to do. We're at our wits end, and we have regional competitions to prepare for."

An idea suddenly popped into Sona's mind, and she didn't bother hiding the devious smile that burst forth and made the perverted trio cringe.

"Well, as our Fuku-Kaichō said, we're only responsible for the creation and budgetary concerns for clubs; however, I believe I can help." Sona said with a grin. "We're going to make a new club, just for you three. The Kuoh Academy Beautification Club."

"W-What?", Motohama sputtered.

"The entire purpose of this club is to ensure that Kuoh Academy remains clean and pristine at all times. Classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, even the flower gardens outside; the three of you are going to clean them all." Sona explained with a not so innocent smile. "You're even going to have a budget. Supplies will have to come out of the faculty budget, it's not unusual for students to use the school's cleaning supplies. However, we can't exactly trust you three to work unsupervised. Nor can we trust you with a budget, so your club funds will have to be redirected towards those who supervise your club. I'm sure we can find volunteers, perhaps a few volunteers from the kendo, tennis, and swimming club for example?"

Tsubaki then shared Sona's smile as she began to catch on. The idea was that each of the clubs, whose members these three had offended the most, would create their own schedule rotation in order to stand watch as the perverted trio cleaned the entire school. Not only would it ensure that the perverted trio would never have an opportunity to peep again, but the clubs who volunteered members to oversee the perverted trio would get a small stipend from the student council for their services.

" _It also has the added benefit of keeping Hyoudou-san alive and away from Fallen Angels."_ Sona thought with a satisfied smile, _"You will live Hyoudou-san, but you will live to regret your perverted ways."_

"You can't do this!" Motohama shouted, "You can't make us join a club against our will! We refuse!"

"You're right. I can't force you." Sona admitted with a shrug, and then went to her purse to grab her cell phone. She paid the entire group no mind as she began to do a quick internet search. "Anyone know the number to Kuoh Police Department?"

"W-What?", Matsuda stuttered, "Police?"

"Of course, peeping is illegal." Sona explained casually, not even looking up from her phone, "And while the school handles discipline, crimes have to be reported to the proper authorities."

"You're bluffing!" Motohama shouted back.

"Do I look like a girl who bluffs?" Sona addressed him with a blank stare, before looking back at her phone.

"Please don't call the police." Hyoudou pleaded, "Our parents will kill us."

"I'm afraid you have much more to worry about than your parents, Hyoudou-san." Sona admitted, turning her attention to the perverted trio once more. "You probably won't go to jail... Juvenile detention is most likely."

"You can't!", Matsuda pleaded.

"That'll ruin our reputations." Motohama shouted.

"Your reputations are already ruined." Katase replied, pressing her boken to Motohama's neck.

"Oh, it'll be worse than just their school reputations." Tsubaki said, following her **[King]** 's lead. "They'll likely become registered sex offenders so their reputation will be ruined for the rest of their lives."

"Kuoh Academy can never accept delinquents with criminal records as students, especially sex offenders." Sona continued scrolling through her phone, "Don't worry ladies, they'll be kicked out of school. In fact, I doubt any school would enroll them after this. Ah, found the number."

"Please, please!" The perverted trio kowtowed before the student council, touching their heads to the floor.

"We'll join the club."

"We'll never peep again."

"We swear!" The trio shouted in unison.

"Very well." Sona said with a smile, "Kuoh Academy formally recognizes and welcomes your club. I hope to see the results of your hard work to ensure that this academy remains the most beautiful school in all of Japan. Murayama-san, would you mind finding volunteers from the other girls' clubs?"

"Hai, Kaichō!" Murayama enthusiastically replied.

"Katase-san, would you mind taking the rest of the day to be the first supervisor of this new club?" Sona sweetly asked. "I believe the cafeteria would be a fine place to start."

"With pleasure, Kaichō." Katase said with a grin and frogmarched the perverted trio off. "Let's go perverts."

Rias then entered the door before the group made their exit. Hyoudou seemed to be mesmerized by Rias Gremory, his eyes never leaving her as he was forcefully marched outside. Rias paid them no mind, her eyes were focused on Sona and she appeared quite anxious.

"Kaichō?" Murayama then called out by the door as the rest of the kendo team left.

"Yes?" Sona curiously asked.

"You're the best, Kaichō.", Murayama replied with a grateful smile and bow before leaving the room.

The satisfaction Sona felt just now was quickly replaced with worry when she saw the distress her childhood friend, Rias, currently had on her face.

"You saw him, didn't you?" Sona asked with concern.

"Just a few moments ago outside of the Occult Research Club building, when he helped the kendo team round up those boys." Rias admitted while looking quite disturbed.

"I tried to warn you." Sona said. "I didn't have enough time."

"I don't think I would have been prepared, even if I was warned." Rias hauntingly admitted. "I knew something was going on when everyone kept asking me if I had a brother, but this? Sona, who is he?"

"His name is Ambrose Dragon-Slayer, he's a sorcerer and alchemist. He's not who you think he is." Sona said, gesturing that they should sit down.

Rias gratefully took the seat, feeling quite shaken up. "You're sure he's not him?", Rias asked, not even willing to mention Millicas by name, "How can you know for sure?"

"He has **[Sacred Gear]**." Sona reluctantly admitted, "He also can use light magic."

"What's he doing here?" Rias asked, almost pleading for answers.

"Here's here for his education." Sona calmly explained, "As a sorcerer, his interactions with the human world is limited and restricted. Kuoh Academy is one of the highest ranked schools in the world, it also has guaranteed college enrollment for its graduating high school students, and it's fully licensed to admit supernaturals. Where else would the genius alchemist who created the cure for lycanthropy go to school?"

"I thought I saw a ghost." Rias listlessly said.

"I thought the same thing too." Sona replied, "Believe me, I even had Tsubaki go to the Underworld and dig up whatever she could find just to make sure. I also went to his house last night to question him. While he didn't show me his **[Sacred Gear]** , he did conjure a light with enough holy magic in it to make me flinch."

"Is he with the church?" Rias worriedly questioned.

"No, you know how they feel about magicians." Sona said, shaking her head. "He's not with any faction. He just wants to be left alone so he can study."

"If he's coming to Kuoh then why didn't he come to see me?" Rias complained, "I'm Governor."

"He thought this was just another school that accepted supernaturals." Sona explained, "He didn't realize that Kuoh was devil territory and was very shocked when he found out. I spent last evening not only learning about him but trying to reassure him that Kuoh was indeed a safe place, that we would respect his privacy and leave him alone. The Maōs have done a lot of work to build up the Devil's reputation from our past history and it would look poor on both of us if he up and left with out attending a single day. I assured him that both you and I would respect his privacy, you know how alchemists are."

Rias nodded in agreement, though clearly lost in thought.

"You're sure he's not interested in becoming a devil?" Rias asked, almost desperately.

"He made that point quite clear." Sona insisted, "Want my advice?"

Rias nodded quietly.

"Give him some time, let him settle in." Sona suggested, "Let him get comfortable. While I don't believe he'll ever be turned, you might be able to get him to work with you once he knows we're not a threat to him."

"That's probably a good idea." Rias admitted with a nod.

Their conversation was interrupted when Sona's entire peerage came through the door. Sona took a moment to introduce Rias to her newest peerage member, Saji Genshirou, who was respectful but also attempted to flirt with her. Sona thought his attempts were clumsy at best, but given the conversation Rias and Sona just had she also thought Saji was entirely inappropriate and made sure to scold him for it.

Sona escorted Rias to the door, but before Rias left she turned around.

"Sona?"

"Yes, Rias?"

"Thank you." Rias said with a smile. "You're a good friend."

Sona smiled and nodded in return. She didn't feel like a good friend right now, what with holding back so much important information from Rias. But Sona had found out about two alternate futures that Rias had in store for her; one was where she was shackled to Riser Phenix, loosing her peerage and her dignity until she died. The other was where she was martyred by Kokabiel and her death caused the Great War to begin anew. Sona could console herself with her actions since what she did now would save her friend's life; however, Sona had yet to figure out a way to save Rias's future.

* * *

Sona had never been popular. She was respected and admired, but never popular.

As she and her peerage walked across the campus to the athletic track, many female students of various clubs came to personally thank her for her contribution in making the school a safer place from perverts.

" _News travels fast."_ Sona mused as she smiled at the sixth student who'd personally come up to thank her since she and her peerage left the office.

The respect was still there, as was the admiration, but this was more. It was as if the students of Kuoh had previously respected her position as Student Council President and her achievements as being one of the smartest students in Kuoh. Now she was popular for her actions and contribution to the school as a whole.

The creation of the "Kuoh Beautification Club" was apparently a huge hit, despite the fact that it was only created less than an hour ago. It seemed as if there were a dozen girls' clubs who'd volunteered their services on a rotating schedule. So many girls had apparently volunteered to oversee the perverted trio clean that no girl would have to watch them twice in the same school year.

" _I wonder if this club will become a permanent fixture in Kuoh Academy."_ Sona wondered, _"It certainly would discourage future delinquent behavior."_

This idea was soon further reinforced when Kuoh's male student clubs began to approach her, asking if they could also volunteer in order to receive extra club funding as well. Sona readily agreed, on the condition that they only supervised the cleansing of the boy's changing rooms. It was the girls of Kuoh who were most affected by the behavior of the perverted trio, but the thought of trio cleaning the boy's locker rooms would be especially distressful for the delinquent trio.

" _Perhaps Kuoh's Beautification Club could have temporary members if other students misbehave in the future."_ Sona thought as her and her peerage arrived at the track, _"The boys' clubs could certainly oversee those temporary members."_

After a bit of stretching, the student council began running along the athletic track of Kuoh. The current track team was all too happy to share, having already received the news of the creation of Kuoh's Beautification Club. Never the less, Sona instructed her peerage to run along the outer most lanes to allow all students equal access and not to inconvenience their fellow classmates. To further encourage her peerage, Sona jogged along with them as she had felt that a **[King]** needed to set the highest example.

" _It's a poor **[King]** who allows their peerage to outshine them." _Sona thought, unaware that training alongside her peerage wasn't something she would have even considered before her trip to the future.

She jogged along, easily keeping up and eventually leaving behind the more athletic members of her peerage, **[Knight]** Tomoe Meguri and **[Rook]** Tsubasa Yura. However, after half an hour Sona rounded the corner and saw a sight that concerned her, a few members of her peerage were lagging behind. **[Bishop]** Momo Hanakai, **[Bishop]** Reya Kusaka, and **[Pawn]** Saji Genshirou were to be expected. Both Momo and Reya were magic users, and had not really put forth much effort into physical training. Saji was their newest member, so the low expectation of his performance was also expected. But along with them was Sona's **[Pawn]** , Ruruko Nimura, the youngest member of Sona's peerage. Ruruko stayed with both Saji and Momo, encouraging them to press on.

"Ruruko." Sona said as she approached the group from behind, lapping them. "Run with me."

Sona continued her pace, and wasn't surprised when Ruruko effortlessly caught up.

Sona had always liked Ruruko; she was smart, clever, and was good with computers. She even figured out about devils all on her own and personally asked Sona to be turned into one. Ruruko was also athletic and had studied gymnastics before enrolling in Kuoh. All in all, a very talented girl who had no business lagging behind on the athletic track.

"This training is for you as well as for them." Sona said as the pair ran together side by side, "I know you want to help out your other team members, but you can do that by setting the bar higher rather than carrying them cross the finish line."

Ruruko frowned a bit, but agreed. "Hai, Kaichō."

"I admire your dedication to your fellow peers." Sona admitted, trying to soften her criticism, "I respect it. But you know what this training is really about. We all have to do our best to prepare for the worst. You're new to all of this, but I've put a lot of trust into you. I believe in you, Ruruko."

"Hai, Kaichō.", Ruruko replied with a bit more enthusiasm and continued to run at her own pace.

Sona continued to run her peerage for a total of three hours. After the track and field clubs left, Sona had 'cracked the whip' and encourage them to run even faster. By the time the sun was setting the entire student council was sweating, exhausted, and in Saji's case 'sick'.

"Why do we have to do this?" Saji complained after throwing up in one of the trashcans.

"Just because you've changed doesn't mean you've reached your limits." Sona answered, barely winded from the run. "It only means your limits have been set even higher than before."

"But still, we're magic users." Reya insisted, "Do we need to do this as well?"

"Our magic will be easier to channel if we keep our bodies in shape." Momo replied to her fellow **[Bishop]**.

Sona was grateful for that, Momo also had some idea of a potential attack and had correctly guessed why they were being pushed so hard.

"Cheer up everyone." Sona enthusiastically said, "The sun is setting soon so you won't be hindered by the light. We're going to keep training all night, and every night for the foreseeable future."

The entire student council, even Tsubaki, groaned in disappointment at that.

* * *

It was quite late by the time Sona had returned to her apartment. Her peerage performed well enough, considering they had never trained that hard before. The severity of the training that they would endure began to set in when Sona reminded them that the Sitri peerage would no longer be fulfilling contracts, only training for future Rating Games.

Only Tsubaki, Momo, and Ruruko had any idea of the possible attack and the dangers that they may face. They had some idea what was at stake and figured their **[King]** simply wanted them to be prepared just in case. Between the four of them, they were able to squash any protest the other four peerage members might have and pressed them forward. Sona was especially proud of Momo; despite her lack of athleticism, Momo had show exceptional diligence and shown remarkable will power.

Sona's thoughts were interrupted by her phone vibrating, showing that she had received a text from Ambrose.

* * *

Ambrose: {I have a confession.}

Sona: {Wrong Department. I handle the activities which make a person to go confession. 😉 }

Ambrose: { LoL 😂 }

Sona: {Alright, I'll bite. What is it?}

Ambrose: {I was asked out on a date today.}

Sona: {You attend a former 'All Girl's School'. I'd be surprised if you didn't get asked out. }

Ambrose: {It wasn't a student who asked me out. I was asked out by a little bird.}

* * *

That caught Sona's attention. _"It seems events are moving more quickly than we had imagined."_

* * *

Sona: {What are you going to do? What's your plan?}

Ambrose: {I'm going to take her out on a date. See what I can find out.}

Sona: {Fine. Just don't turn into James Bond and pump her for information}

Ambrose: {I don't like bird brains. I prefer my girls to be devilishly smart. 😘 }

* * *

Sona smiled as she texted 'Good Night' back at Ambrose with a few heart shaped emojis of her own.

* * *

From then on Sona quickly fell into the routine of day to day life in Kuoh. It was school, student council activities, and then finally training her peerage until they could barely stand anymore. Their protests were quickly silenced, as she would not allow them to slack off.

It wasn't always running; the two **[Bishop]** s of the group, Momo and Reya, would have their chance to shine where they would throw magical attacks at her other peerage members. Sona's **[Rook]** , Tsubasa, was forced stand still and endure the attacks head on while her **[Knight]** Tomoe was encouraged to constantly dodge. Ruruko and Saji simply had to survive the experience anyway they could. Ruruko proved to be more nimble and athletic, weaving in and out of the attacks along with Tomoe. Saji, however, seemed to stumble around quite a bit. He eventually stopped asking for a **[Promotion]** after Sona denied him for the tenth time. Tsubaki wasn't spared either, though as second in command Sona would rotate her between attacking and being attacked. Sona also encouraged her **[Queen]** to utilize all aspects of her **[Evil Piece]** in order to hone both her endurance and speed.

She continued to press them further and was quite proud to see that gradually the entire group began to show improvement.

* * *

Saturday was a half-day of school for the students of Japan, and despite the fact that this was the day that Ambrose was on his 'date' with a Fallen Angel, Sona was feeling particularly generous to her peerage due to all of their hard work. That didn't mean she was going to let them slack off; however, she did 'reward' them by letting them vent their frustrations on her after the sun had set so that she might gauge their abilities.

Originally her peerage balked at the 7 vs 1 challenge, but Sona reassured them, "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you all."

In the end, whatever concerns they had attacking her as a group was quickly laid to rest. Sona swatted her **[Pawns]** , Ruruko and Saji away like flies. She met her **[Bishop]** s Momo and Reya head on with magic, and fought her **[Rook]** Tsubasa and **[Knight]** Tomoe hand to hand. She handled them all while a she summoned a variety of water creatures to attack her **[Queen]** Tsubaki as a distraction until Sona defeated the rest and could fight Tsubaki one on one.

In the end, Sona handily won the match and also bit of respect from her peerage. Still, Sona's goal in this exercise wasn't to defeat her peerage, it was to gauge their abilities while also training them to work as a team against a stronger opponent.

" _Something they'll no doubt need, if things go bad."_ Sona thought privately to herself as she entered her apartment later that night and collapsed on her couch.

Despite her busy schedule, she ached for her fiance. Being separated from him after spending every waking moment with him for a year was bad enough. But to see him every day at school, yet not being able to be with him was pure torture. She had to content herself with a few discrete glances, and would sometimes slyly listen to the students gossiping about him.

He seemed to be growing popular, with a number of clubs requesting that he join. He turned them down of course, but that only emboldened other clubs to approach him. Sona also noticed that Ambrose had quickly fallen into his school studies rather well.

" _Perhaps a little too well."_ , Sona noted, promising herself that she would visit him soon with all of her school books for a dose of 'Osmosis'.

The two lovers had continued their charade of not knowing each other, never once acknowledging one another in class nor in private. Ambrose also never stayed in school after classes nor did he make any attempts at making friends. He kept his socializing to a polite interest and would quietly leave when classes were over. Publicly, he gave off the impression that he was an intelligent, yet reserved individual. He was too focused learning the lay out of Kuoh City, as well as preparing for his date while also fulfilling his obligations as the creator of the lycanthropy cure. The only time the he and Sona ever communicated was through text messages late at night.

Ambrose had explained earlier, via text, that his date would happen this evening after school. He also told her that he was constantly being spied on by a small white haired girl.

" _Seems Rias didn't lose her interest in Am-chan."_ Sona sourly thought. _"I thought Rias agreed to give Am-chan a bit of distance."_

Still, there was nothing Sona could do about it. The idea behind 'Giving the new guy his space' was meant to apply equally to both Sona and Rias. The fact that Rias had been spying on Ambrose wasn't what they had agreed on, but if Sona confronted Rias about it then it would show that Sona was keeping tabs on him too.

" _And then all pretenses would fall and Rias would actively try to bring Am-chan into her peerage."_

That was something Sona refused to let happen.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing.

" _Am-chan usually texts me."_ Sona thought while grabbing her phone. She was surprised to see that it was Rias.

"Hello?"

"Sona?" Rias asked on the phone sounding quite somber, "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. The transfer student, that Dragon-Slayer has been killed by a Fallen Angel."

"What?" Sona said, alarmed.

" _There's no way a Fallen Angel killed Ambrose."_ Sona thought, _"He could kill a low class two winged Fallen Angel in his sleep. He's the inheritor of the biblical God's power who created all Angels."_

"I'm afraid so." Rias said, "You see, I broke our promise and have been keeping an eye on him. Seems a Fallen Angel lured him out on a date today and attacked him while he was unaware."

" _That's impossible. Even if they got a lucky shot he wouldn't have been careless enough to forget to bring a death flower."_ Sona quickly reasoned.

"Sona, are you there?" Rias asked worriedly.

"I'm here." She replied.

"I'm sorry. I know you must have been keeping an eye on him too." Rias said, "We'll need to create a cover story, publicly. Do you think your contacts in the magical community could help? I'm sure they'd want to know."

"I'll take care of everything." Sona said, wanting to hurry this conversation along so she could contact Ambrose. _"I'll call him. I'll summon his soul with that stone of his if I have to."_

"Alright." Rias hesitantly replied, "If that's what you want. But if you need anything, let me know."

Sona didn't even reply, she simply hung up on Rias and quickly dialed Ambrose's number. The phone's connection seemed to take forever, when she finally heard the ring tone it seemed to ring an excessive amount of times before…

"Hello?"

Sona sighed in relief when she heard her fiance's voice on the phone.

"Am-chan. Are you alright?" She worriedly asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Ambrose asked confused.

"Rias just called me, she said that she'd been watching you and that you'd been killed."

"What did she say?" Ambrose questioned with a little insistency, "Tell me exactly what she said."

"She said that she had been keeping an eye on you for awhile. She knew about your date with that Fallen Angel and said that you were caught unaware and that you were murdered." Sona explained, "Are you hurt, did she attack you?"

"She did attack me." Ambrose admitted sounding a little angry, "But she didn't get the chance to even touch me. You need to come over right now. I think your friend Rias just tried to profit off of my death."


	10. Season 1, Chapter 2

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

The Sitri Clan symbol lit up from the foyer of Ambrose's home as Sona directly transported herself there for the very first time since being keyed to the wards. She stumbled a bit when she arrived, feeling a bit disoriented as she fully materialized. Sona was so focused on finding Ambrose that she didn't give the dizzying feeling any mind.

"Am-chan", Sona called out and then shouted up the staircase. "Am-chan!"

Despite living together for a year in the future, Sona didn't feel comfortable enough in Ambrose's 'present' home to wander around in search of him. She never finished her tour of this five story French home and had only seen the ground floor and the fifth floor where Ambrose's bedroom was.

"Here I am." Ambrose replied, coming around the corner on the top of the stairs of the 2nd story.

Sona rushed into his arms as he met her at the foyer, this was the first time in nearly a week that they had been alone together. There were always people watching; classmates, her peerage, Rias and the Gremory peerage. In order to maintain their ruse, the couple hadn't publicly acknowledged each other since Ambrose's enrollment and Sona had missed her fiance terribly. She held him close for a moment before checking Ambrose's body for injuries.

"I'm fine." Ambrose reassured her, "She didn't get a chance to hurt me.'

"What happened?" Sona questioned.

"On the date? Nothing at first, that was the problem." Ambrose said with a shrug.

"What do you mean nothing? You admitted that you were attacked, you also accused Rias of plotting to turn you into a devil against your will. Why don't you start from the beginning?" Sona asked, wanting to know as many details as possible while trying not to appear too demanding.

"As far as the date went, nothing happened at first; which was pretty weird." Ambrose said, "We met at the train station, went shopping, ate a parfait in a café."

"What's weird about that?" Sona asked while jealously thinking, _"Sounds like things I wish we could do together."_

"Well, she's a Fallen Angel, and you'd think that with a last name like 'Dragon-Slayer' she would have figured out that I'm not 'normal'. But she kept up her innocent girl act through out the entire day. She never brought up the topic of supernaturals, nor did she ask me about my past. In fact, she never asked me any personal questions at all, she didn't seem interested in actually getting to know me." Ambrose explained, "If she were a normal girl, that is a Fallen Angel who was genuinely interested in me, she might try to gauge if I was some sort of supernatural so we could establish common ground. The longer the date went on with out her mentioning supernaturals the more likely it was that she was planning to assassinate me."

"So you saw the attack coming?" Sona asked in relief.

"Oh, a mile away. As the date ended she brought me to a secluded area and sprouted her wings. She began to brag about how she tricked me, how I was going to die; it was very cliché." Ambrose rolled his eyes and went on. "Ironically, she told me she was going to kill me because God placed a **[Sacred Gear]** inside of me; that was actually kind of funny. I asked her not to go through with it, in an attempt to further our goals towards peace between the factions, but she arrogantly thought I was pleading for my life instead of hers. When she attacked me I swatted her light spear back at her with the **[Master Key]** and she died instantly. 'Poof', like an explosion of feathers when a pillow bursts open. She didn't even have time to comprehend her own death."

"What about Rias?" Sona asked, dismissing the Fallen Angel as unimportant for now, "What makes you think she tried to turn you against your will?"

"Well, I got this from a familiar while waiting at the train station for my date to arrive." Ambrose said, showing her a piece of paper.

Sona recognized it right away, a flier used to summon devils affiliated with the Gremory clan in order to create contracts with humans.

"Okay, that is a little weird." Sona admitted while voicing her observations, "Not only is it suspicious that you got one today of all days, but the location you got it from is strange. While the train station is a popular place, it isn't the most ideal location to hand out summoning fliers. We're only permitted to do contracts within our own territory and the trains go all over Japan. It would be… rude for any devil to take on a contract outside of their territory and might even cause a diplomatic incident. Most Governors aren't devils and some can be quite territorial."

" _The Maōs have done a lot of work to build up the devils' reputation from our past history, but most supernaturals live a long time; they have long memories."_ Sona thought to herself.

"There was also the fact that this familiar gave this flier to me and didn't give out any others." Ambrose said, "I had arrived at the train station an hour before I was due to meet 'Yuuma', my date. I wanted to scope the area out ahead of time in order to see if any other Fallen Angel were coming, but there were no supernaturals in the area at that time. Then, about 10 minutes before my date was scheduled, this familiar disguised as a human comes to the plaza. She walks up to me, hands me this flier, and then disappears in the crowd before leaving."

"Rias admitted she was keeping an eye on you." Sona said, frowning that her friend had not upheld her promise to give Ambrose space.

"Oh, she did more than that." Ambrose said with a frown, "I practically had breakfast and dinner with that white haired girl everyday this past week."

"What do you mean?", Sona asked alarmed.

"Not literally." Ambrose reassured her, "You see, the wards that surround this house are temporally misaligned with the present, the house only exists half a second in the past. People outside of the wards who exist in normal time don't see the house because it doesn't exist yet, it's always a half a second away from appearing. Did you you feel a little dizzy or disoriented when you teleported in?"

"A bit." Sona replied, "I figured it was the wards, but I didn't realize the house was out of alignment with normal time. Why didn't I feel this when I first came in?"

"Teleporting in is pretty much instant temporal displacement, but when you walk in from across the street the transition is a gradual process. What this means is that someone who's not keyed into the wards can actually walk through the wooded area and not interact my house, someone like that white haired devil."

"Her name is Koneko Toujo, Rias's **[Rook]** " Sona explained.

"My official address is listed in the apartment building across the street. Toujo-san thought this wooded area was an excellent place to hide out as she watched the illusions inside the apartment that I rent. Every morning and every evening Toujo-san would perch herself up in a tree that shares the same space as my kitchen."

"So you bought this land so you could hide it in time, and rented an apartment across the street as a diversion?" Sona said shaking her head, "Sometimes I think you're too paranoid."

"When you consider the things I keep in this house, do you really think I'm overly cautious?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sona couldn't argue with that: forbidden life fruit, trees that grew gold nuggets, a stone that summoned the dead, and a time machine.

" _Any of those things would have people trying to break in, and t_ _hose were just the_ _items_ _I know_ _about."_ Sona privately thought.

"I see your point", Sona admitted. "But I still think you're being paranoid about Rias. While I don't like how she spied on you, you can't blame her for being curious. She probably saw you interacting with Yuuma and sought to intervene if you got into trouble."

"If that's true then why didn't she warn me in order to ingratiate herself to me? Why didn't she spy on me during my date?" Ambrose asked, "She had no problem spying at me during any other time. If Rias thought I was working with the Grigori then she wouldn't have given me this flier in the first place. If Rias thought I could have survived the encounter then she wouldn't have assumed I died when the flier was never used. So why did she assume I had died with out ever checking up on me? It's as if Rias was expecting Yuuma to kill me, or injure me, so that she could then come to my rescue and turn me into a devil."

"No, that can't be right." Sona shook her head with conviction, "I've known Rias all my life, we grew up together. She wouldn't do that."

"You're certain?" Ambrose doubtfully asked.

"Absolutely." Sona affirmed.

"Alright, if you say so." Ambrose relented with a sigh, dropping the matter.

"So what now?", Sona asked after a moment.

"Before Yuuma died, she told me her real name was Raynare." Ambrose seriously said . "Now that I know her real name I can summon her soul and get some answers. I was just setting things up when you called."

"Okay." Sona said, nodding, "I want to be with you when you interrogate her."

"You realize I'm not going to ask nicely." Ambrose apprehensively said.

"I am a devil." Sona resolutely replied, "Don't think I can't handle seeing a little torture."

Despite the rumors, Sona was not a sadist; she did not enjoy causing pain. However, occasionally a stray devil would arrive that would pose a threat to her, her peerage, or someone under her protection. Whenever that happened she did not hesitate to do what was necessary. Life was full of difficult actions and from a young age Sona was taught to do what needed to be done.

"Alright." Ambrose conceded, "I also think we should invite your friend Rias."

"That's probably a good idea." Sona admitted after thinking it over. _"Rias should be here when we acquire actual proof of Kokabiel's plan to attack us with the stolen Excalibur fragments. With her witnessing Raynare's confession we'll be able to get the_ _Maō_ _s_ _involved and_ _start an official inquiry. The Grigori and the Church will_ _have to_ _get involved_ _as well._ _W_ _e might be able to get the three factions_ _to cooperate with_ _each other_ _long enough_ _for them_ _to take care of Kokabiel_ _._ _This would prevent the three factions from attacking one another,_ _and_ _maybe even help them establish a peace treaty earlier_ _._ _"_

"It seems Rias already aware that the Fallen Angels are in the area." Ambrose thoughtfully said, "It's time she and I met, and she should definitely be here while I interrogate Raynare. But please, do me a favor."

"What favor is that?"

"When the interrogation begins, only ask questions. Don't answer any." Ambrose seriously said. "I'll be using an 'orb of truth' to ensure Raynare isn't lying, but it'll affect the entire room. Any lie will be detected, so be sure to only ask questions or make statements in the form of a question after I activate it. We don't want to be caught in a lie that might reveal our ability to travel in time."

"I understand." Sona said while pulling her phone out. "Want me to call Rias?"

"No need, just follow my lead." Ambrose said, while holding up the Gremory summoning flier and then tossing it onto the foyer. It promptly lit up and activated the Gremory magical summoning circle.

" _I didn't know the summoning fliers could be used like that!"_ Sona thought in alarm, _"Sure, humans can use them to summon us, but to force a summon? That's a huge liability, anyone could force a devil to appear. Anyone could force a **[King]** to appear! If the church ever found out we'd be prime targets for an ambush, caught completely unaware!"_

Completely unaware was an accurate description, as that was the expression Rias Gremory had as she was forcefully summoned to a new place against her will.

Her eyes were wide and alert as she frantically looked around until she saw both Sona and Ambrose standing next to each other.

"I apologize for summoning you here so suddenly, Gremory-san." Ambrose contritely said, "However, I just received the most startling news. Apparently, I was murdered."

"Where am I?" Rias demanded in shock, "How did I get here?"

"You're in my home." Ambrose replied politely, "And you did have your familiar give me your summoning card, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes." Rias admitted, still shaken up from her sudden teleportation.

" _Or perhaps it's the disorientation you get when you teleport into his home."_ Sona privately thought.

"I think it's best if we immediately straightened out any misunderstandings." Ambrose continued, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything too important."

"I was in the middle of a conversation with my **[Queen]** , Akeno." Rias irritably stated and crossed her arms.

"You should probably contact her so she doesn't get worried." Ambrose helpfully suggested.

"I would if I had my phone with me," Rias testily replied with a slight glare. "but it seems I left it behind."

"Use mine." Sona diplomatically offered, trying to smooth things over.

"You'll have to text her." Ambrose said. "My wards don't allow for incoming or outgoing phone calls or even most magical communications."

" _His wards."_ Sona realized, _"That's why he always texts me. His entire property is a half a second in the past. Phone calls are a live connection, they can't connect within a temporally displaced environment. But a text message is different, it's a burst transmission that's sent out; temporal lag wouldn't matter."_

Rias frowned, but none the less began typing on Sona's phone before handing it back to her.

"So why have you brought me here?" Rias crossed her arms and asked, still upset at her sudden arrival.

"To clear up this misunderstanding." Ambrose politely replied as if Rias' glare wasn't even present. "It seems you've been keeping an eye on me, and would probably like to know more about what just happened with the Fallen Angel."

"I wasn't keeping an eye on you, I was keeping an eye on the Fallen Angel." Rias dismissively replied, "My familiar saw you while she was handing out fliers so I thought it best to give you one just in case. Sona told me how you wanted to be left out of our business."

" _That's a lie."_ Sona privately thought. _"Rias has been spying on Am-chan for a week, she even admitted to having her familiar give Am-chan the flier personally. If Rias was keeping an eye on a Fallen Angel then she would have told me so that I could warn my peerage."_

"It seems events have forced me to become involved." Ambrose ruefully said, "And you were right to be worried, I was attacked this evening. Sona and I were just about to question Raynare, the Fallen Angle who attacked me. We thought it was best that you were here with us."

Rias nodded in agreement. "Very well, I'd like to get a few answers for myself."

"This way." Ambrose said, and led them up the foyer staircase to the 2nd floor.

Sona had only been to this floor on her way up to Ambrose's bedroom. She knew there was a guest room at the top of the stairs, but she never explored down the hallway. Like the hallway below, this hallway was also filled with archaeological artifacts. While the ground floor was dedicated to Egyptian artifacts, this hallway was dedicated to Chinese artifacts and relics. Both Sona and Rias marveled at the sight, Rias especially since this was her first time in Ambrose's home. There were ancient vases from the Ming Dynasty, jade animals, and golden foo dogs.

Despite these wondrous artifacts, there were three items that stood out from all the others. One was an ancient Chinese Tea Kettle that was displayed with an ancient Chinese Pale and Ladle. While they were old, these common items were separated from all the other artifacts and seemed quite out of place when compared to the priceless relics that surrounded them.

There was also one relic that immediately caught both Sona's and Rias's attention, a large red egg that was completely encased in everlasting ice and held in a place of honor among Ambrose's collection.

"Is this a dragon egg?", Rias asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, no. That's a Phenex egg." Ambrose casually said and continued down the hall, past the television room, as if the Phenex egg were unimportant.

Both Rias and Sona stared at the egg in shock.

" _That's the frozen remains of Marquis Saffron Phenex, former patriarch of the Phenex Clan!"_ Sona realized in amazement, _"And he just keeps it around on display?"_

Ambrose didn't wait for them and continued on to the door at the end of the hall. The pair of devils tore their attention away from the display and quickly caught up.

"This is my lab. I ask that you be respectful and not touch anything. We don't want to have an accident." Ambrose gently warned them and opened the doors to invite them in.

" _It looks like this room was converted from a small ballroom."_ Sona thought, as she noticed the lengthy room was decorated in the vintage French style his home favored. It wasn't particularly wide, but the ceiling was extra high, reaching up an extra floor.

Both Rias and Sona looked around curiously, but Sona actually recognized a few pieces of equipment from his main laboratory in the future, such as two Vladimir Cauldrons. There were somethings that weren't here, his future lab certainly had more plants that he was experimenting on. One piece of equipment that she did recognize immediately was the green hexagonal bi-pyramid, his own version of the philosopher's stone that Ambrose used to summon the dead. Sona also noticed that in front of the stone Ambrose had set up five golden stands with diamond cut quartz crystals on top. These stands were placed around a rune seal at the five points of a pentagram.

" _Most likely a measure to ensure Raynare's soul can't escape, once summoned."_ Sona reasoned privately.

"Are you familiar with an 'orb of truth'?" Ambrose casually asked the pair of devils.

"Wasn't that used before truth serum was invented?" Rias answered, drawing her attention away from the alchemist's devices.

"Indeed it was." Ambrose admitted while setting up a large crystal orb which sat on a golden pedestal. "The main difference between the two is that the serum forces one to tell the truth, whereas the orb will let you know when a lie is spoken. There's a big difference between the two."

Ambrose activated the orb, which lit up brightly and then settled down to a soft glow.

"Tell me, what color is the sky?" Ambrose asked.

"Blue." Rias replied.

"Black." Sona answered since it was night, but then quietly chastised herself. _"Am-chan asked me to stick to only questions when the orb was activated."_

The orb didn't react to either answer.

"Two different answers, yet both are true and the orb doesn't react. Let's try lying." Ambrose suggested, giving a brief meaningful look at Sona before turning his attention to Rias. "What did you have for breakfast?"

"Tempura." Rias said, and the orb immediately lit up, glowing bright red in reaction.

"Now that we've verified that the orb is working, shall we summon our Fallen Angel?" Ambrose rhetorically asked, and turned to the large green stone. "Raynare."

The stone immediately reacted by lifting itself off the pedestal, spinning and glowing for a moment until it set itself back down and the ghost of Raynare appeared. The rune seal flashed brightly, and a disoriented Raynare found herself trapped within it before she realized what was going on.

"W-What is this?!" Rias asked in shock, having not been briefed on what to expect.

"What does it look like?" Ambrose innocently asked, turning his attention back to Rias.

"It looks as if you just summoned the soul of a dead Fallen Angel!" Rias exclaimed, before calming herself so as to appear in control.

"Well, I did kill her." Ambrose truthfully admitted, "But in all fairness, she tried to kill me first. Isn't that right, Raynare?"

"W-where am I? What am I doing here?" Raynare asked with dawning horror. "I'm dead? How-how did you kill me?!"

"You're confused, that's understandable." Ambrose replied with a nod, "Yes, you're dead and I've trapped your soul here so you can answer a few questions."

"You, You Killed Me!" Raynare angrily shouted.

"All too easily." Ambrose admitted with a smile, showing bit of pride. "Now then, we have a few questions for you."

"Why should I answer any thing?" Raynare said, crossing her transparent arms.

"Because I'm asking nicely." Ambrose replied with an edge to his voice.

"Do your worst." Raynare snarled, glaring hatefully at the sorcerer.

Ambrose shrugged with a sigh and then turned around to the two devils. "Last chance." He said, motioning to the door.

"You know my answer." Sona seriously replied with a nod.

Rias nodded too, but Sona noticed she was unsure. _"Possibly confused about what's happening, or what's about to happen."_

Ambrose's face hardened a bit before turning back to Raynare. Sona and Rias then felt an intense and powerful holy aura begin to fill the room. It was quite stifling, though Sona realized that Rias was petrified at its sudden presence.

Sona had felt this power before. _"The **[Master Key]**_. _Perhaps I'm building up a resistance to it after all._ ", she thought noting that she wasn't affected as much as Rias.

A holy glow surrounded Ambrose's left hand as he reached out in order to grasp Raynare. His hand never pass through the barrier of the seal, and he slightly squeezed his empty hand as if he were grasping at some large invisible object.

Whatever he was grasping at had an immediate effect on Raynare as she released the most blood curling scream Sona had ever heard in her life.

"A live body can heal, flesh and bone can mend. Your soul will carry this pain beyond the veil of death." Ambrose said loudly over Raynare's scream, squeezing his hand ever so slightly further.

Raynare's continuous endless scream rose a pitch, never once pausing for a moment.

" _It's her soul screaming in agony."_ Sona realized with dawning horror, _"She has no body to even breathe, she can't stop screaming for a moment. She can't even pass out to halt the pain."_

Sona looked over at Rias who had gone completely white at the display.

"STOP!" Raynare managed to shriek out in between her continuous scream.

Ambrose immediately dropped his left hand and the screaming stopped, the holy aura faded from the room. The three watched silently as Raynare collapsed and began to twitch on the floor.

"You will never heal." Ambrose softly said. "And I will never let you go until I'm satisfied."

Sona's eyes widened in a horrible awe, _"The orb didn't flash. Ambrose is telling the truth._ "

"I'll tell you anything, everything!" Raynare pleaded from the floor, "Please, just let me go! Let me die!"

"You're already dead." Ambrose reminded her, "What you're facing is a fate worse than death. Now, why are you in Kuoh?"

"W-we came here to cause trouble for the devils." Raynare replied with out hesitation. "We were told that the sisters of two Maōs were here, that we were to find and kill all human **[Sacred Gear]** wielders or any other threats to the Fallen Angels."

"Who sent you?" Ambrose demanded.

"Azazel-sama." Raynare immediately replied.

" _Azazel? I thought Kokabiel was in charge, that he was testing our defenses in preparation for his attack?"_ Sona frantically thought, _"What the hell is going on?"_

"You must be pretty important in order get an order directly from the Governor General." Ambrose replied, "Did you hear those orders directly from Azazel?"

"N-No." Raynare admitted, "I heard them from Kokabiel."

" _Is Azazel in on the plot, or did Kokabiel lie to her?"_ Sona wondered, _"Is Kokabiel falsely giving them orders in Azazel's name, or is Azazel hiding behind Kokabiel?"_

Sona didn't know the answer, _"_ _Onee-sama_ _did say_ _that Azazel_ _worked_ _with them to defeat the Khaos Brigade._ _B_ _ut_ _did_ _they only work together_ _in order_ _to defeat a greater enemy_ _?_ _"_

Raynare's mention of Azazel was troubling, and it was the first time it was suggested that the Governor General of the Grigori could have a hand in the attack that restarts the Great Celestial War. Unfortunately between Serafall's and her counterpart's testimony, Sona could not ascertain the true hand behind the initial attack. They only knew that Kokabiel wanted to restart the war in order to prove Fallen Angel superiority and not even the presence of the Maōs would stop him.

"Who's with you in the abandoned church?" Ambrose continued to question.

"No one." Raynare said, and the 'orb of truth' immediately lit up, glowing bright red.

"Don't lie to me." Ambrose threatened while raising his left hand and gathering his power, "Who's with you in the abandoned church?"

"Three other Grigori." Raynare hastily admitted then hung her head down in shame. "Kalawarner, Mittelt, and Dohnaseek."

"Is there anyone else in the church?" Ambrose asked.

Raynare shook her head 'no'.

"Verbal answers, please." Ambrose insisted before questioning Raynare again. "Is there anyone else in the church?"

"No." Raynare replied.

Sona frowned, knowing there should be more. "Are you expecting reinforcements?", she spoke up and asked.

Rias gasped in shock and looked at Sona, surprised that she had dared to speak up at all.

Raynare refused to reply.

"Answer her." Ambrose demanded.

"Yes." Raynare reluctantly admitted, "In two days we're expecting several rogue exorcists and a rogue nun."

Ambrose stepped back away, "Sitri-san, Gremory-san. Feel free to ask Raynare anything you'd like to know."

"When is Kokabiel arriving?" Sona asked, taking charge.

"He's not." Raynare answered, "We simply report to him via magical communication. I don't know where he currently is."

"Were you planning on attacking our peerages?", Rias spoke up for the first time.

"If a target of opportunity presented itself, then yes we're free to attack." Raynare admitted, "But we were ordered not to directly assault either peerage."

They all stood silent for a moment, absorbing what they had learned.

" _They're a scouting party."_ Sona thought in disappointment, _"She's just a foot solider, nothing more. Sent to cause trouble and create the skirmishes. She doesn't know anything about Kokabiel's attack, how he's stealing Excalibur swords, or how he wants to restart the war. She doesn't even know if it was actually Azazel who sent her out or not. We still don't have proof for the Maōs that shows Kokabiel means to attack us, we can only prove that these Fallen Angels are causing trouble. If we bring this to the Maōs then the Grigori will deny their involvement and declare these Fallen Angels rogues, nothing more. Damn it, what a waste."_

"Are there any other questions, ladies?" Ambrose asked the pair of devils.

Both Sona and Rias shook their head.

Ambrose turned his back to the two devils and looked at Raynare who flinched under his gaze.

"I release you." He softly said, almost regretfully and Raynare's soul disappeared.

They remained silent for awhile after Raynare's soul departed, each person was digesting what they had learned or witnessed.

"I don't like torture." Ambrose said, breaking the silence, "It's not something I take pleasure in, but I believe it's necessary in certain situations. I take threats on my life very seriously."

Ambrose turned around and looked at the girls.

"Tell me, Gremory-san." Ambrose softly asked, "Did you plan to turn me into a devil after Raynare attacked me?"

"What?" Rias exclaimed in shock, "No!"

The 'orb of truth' immediately reacted, glowing bright red.

Rias's face was horrified.

"Rias!" Sona shouted in surprise and dismay. "How could you?!"

"I-I.." Rias frightfully stuttered, "I was trying to protect him!"

"You could have told him his life was in danger." Sona said, glaring harshly at Rias.

"You told me he needed space, that I should let him settle in!" Rias argued back.

"Not at the cost of his life!" Sona shouted back, "And you've been spying on him all week!"

"You had your peerage spying on him too!" Rias angrily accused.

"I did not spy on Ambrose, nor did I instruct my peerage spy on him!" Sona yelled and gestured to the 'orb of truth' which hadn't reacted.

Rias's eyes widened in shock, her mouth wide open.

"How long have you known about the Fallen Angels in Kuoh?", Ambrose fiercely asked.

"I-I", Rias continued to stutter, terrified of answering.

"Rias, answer him!" Sona demanded.

"I found out about her two weeks ago, a week before the Dragon-Slayer arrived." Rias admitted to her shame.

"And you didn't tell me?" Sona asked, aghast that her friend would withhold such information, "You didn't think that I needed to know, that my peerage needed to know that there were Fallen Angels here?"

"She hadn't done anything!" Rias shouted, trying to defend herself, "So I just kept an eye on her. It wasn't until that Fallen Angel approached the Dragon-Slayer that I thought..."

"That you thought you could turn me into your servant against my wishes." Ambrose finished for her.

" _That's how Hyoudou-san died."_ Sona realized in outrage, _"She would have planned the same thing for Hyoudou-san and it would have resulted in his death!"_

While Sona Sitri could say that she did not like Issei Hyoudou, he was a member of Kuoh Academy which meant Sona felt a certain level of responsibility for him.

" _As Governor of Kuoh, Hyoudou-san's safety is Rias's responsibility when it comes to supernatural threats. I can't believe she would shirk her duties and take advantage of this dangerous situation to try and turn someone against their will."_

"How could you, Rias?" Sona said in anger and disappointment. "Our siblings, all the current Maōs have worked tirelessly to improve the public opinion of our race. To show that we've moved beyond the past and that we've changed our ways. If anyone found out that the sister of Maō Lucifer did this the damage would be irreversible. What made you do all of this?"

"I'm desperate!" Rias shouted, trying to reason with her childhood friend, "You know my situation, Sona."

"Do you know my situation?" Ambrose said, interrupting them.

"N-No." Rias uncertainly replied.

"No, you don't, because you don't know me. It seems I failed to introduce myself when I summoned you here, so allow me to rectify that." Ambrose said.

Sona felt the power of the **[Master Key]** well up as its oppressive dominance filled the room again, though Ambrose had yet to physically summon it. Just the hint of its presence, the holy power of the Old Deus, was enough to saturate the room and completely paralyze Rias in fear.

"I am Ambrose the Dragon Slayer and I have inspired terror into the hearts of creatures that are far more durable than you." Ambrose menacingly said as he began to march towards Rias who instinctively began to back away from him till she was up against the wall.

Sona's breath caught in her throat as Ambrose raised his left hand as if he meant to squeeze Rias as he done to Raynare, yet he managed to hold himself back from actually harming her.

"If you **ever** try to enslave me again, I swear I'll rip your goddamn soul out of your body, completely crush it with my bare hand, and then bind your wretched soul to me; Lucifer be damned! Do you understand?" Ambrose threatened, then motioned behind him to the 'orb of truth' which had remained inert.

" _He's serious."_ Sona thought, _"I've never seen him this angry before."_

Rias quickly nodded in reply, too terrified to speak.

"Now get out of my house!" Ambrose commanded intensely, "Before I do something I'll regret."

Ambrose quickly reached out, Rias flinched instinctively, but he unexpectedly pushed her and Rias suddenly disappeared.

"W-Where did she go?" Sona asked, almost too afraid of the answer.

"I used the wards of the house to kick her out, intruders are dumped into Kuoh's sewage treatment plant." Ambrose said, as he hung his head down. The emotional weight of what transpired seemed to drain him as the intensity of the moment passed. "I don't think I like your friend."

"Right now, I don't really like her that much either." Sona sorrowfully admitted.

Ambrose took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to calm down. "I've only ever been that mad at one other being."

" _The Old Deus."_ Sona thought, _"The Old Deus who tried to destroy him. And now Rias who tried to enslave him."_

Sona knew there were some devils who turned others against their will thru deceit, or **[King]** s who treated their pieces cruelly. **[Evil Pieces]** were like any magical item, in that they served a function and that function could be abused by unscrupulous individuals. Sona had always felt that cruelty or deceitfulness was counterproductive when it came to creating a cohesive peerage. While Sona was strict, she was never cruel to her peerage, she never demanded anything of them that she wouldn't hesitate to do herself. Sona expected excellence from herself, and thus expected it from her peerage.

" _How a **[King]** treats their peerage is a reflection of themselves. I thought Rias knew that. She's a Gremory, they're renowned for being affectionate with their peerage." _Sona thought, trying to look back on how Rias treated her peerage. _"It doesn't make sense. She kind to them all, in fact she excessively spoils them. I know she's desperate to get out of her engagement but to completely disregard the reputation her family has built up… Why would she stoop so low?"_

Sona had never force member of her peerage to become a devil against their will. She had personally recruited nearly half of her peerage; however, there were a number of exceptions. Her **[Pawn]** , Ruruko Nimura had figured out that Sona was a devil by chance, but thought it was 'The greatest thing ever' and asked to be turned. Both of her **[Bishop]** s actively sought her out in order to be turned. Sona and Momo had known each other from a young age since both their fathers had business dealings with each other. Reya Kusaka's grandmother was a witch, so Reya had grown up knowing about devils. When Sona and Rias had first moved to Kuoh, Reya quickly deduced who they were and asked to join Sona's peerage so that Reya could extend her lifespan in order to dedicate herself to the study of magic. Sona's **[Knight]** Tomoe Meguri, was born with a cursed soul from a vengeful demon. Her parents made a contract with Sona to save her life, so Sona turned her into a devil and brought her into her clan.

Tsubaki Shinra, Sona's **[Queen]** was another special case. Tsubaki came from a family that was famous for their ability to cleanse evil spirits. Sona and Tsubaki first met while Sona was fulfilling a contract to take care of troublesome Oni. Unknown to Sona at the time, the Shinra clan had sworn on their honor to kill the Oni and sent Tsubaki on her own as a test of her skills. When the two crossed paths Tsubaki was wary of Sona at first, having never encountered a devil before, but they both found they worked extremely well together when they teamed up to deal with the Oni. During the fight, Sona had saved Tsubaki's life and the two girls have been best friends ever since.

She only had to actively recruit two members of her peerage, **[Rook]** Tsubasa Yura and **[Pawn]** Saji Genshirou. Tsubasa was born with a rare ability that naturally allowed her to sense, seek out, and interact with all manner of supernaturals. From a young age she had fought off evil spirits with her martial arts ability alone. Saji had practically gift wrapped himself, when he was a freshman he constantly volunteered for student council activities and when Sona found that he had **[Sacred Gear]** she extended an invitation.

However, every member of her peerage had joined willingly. Forcing someone to join a devil's peerage against their will could be considered slavery since joining a peerage was essentially a contract, something devils took quite seriously. A peerage member was considered a servant but also part of the clan and was expected to follow the orders of their **[King]** , much like how a samurai was expected to follow the orders of their shōgun.

Sona's thoughts were interrupted when Ambrose wrapped her in his arms. She sighed contently for a moment and embraced him in return, setting the gravity of their current situation aside for a moment.

"I'm sorry about your friend." Ambrose said.

Sona nodded, feeling hurt over Rias's betrayal. "I'm sorry too. What she tried to do was wrong."

"I never met her before, so it's no big deal if I hate her." Ambrose said while rubbing her back, "But she's your childhood friend. It wasn't my heart that was just crushed."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me about the Fallen Angels." Sona bitterly said, "She didn't even warn my future self of the Fallen Angels, who was completely unaware. She let Hyoudou die, Am-chan. She almost did the same the same to you."

"I'm made of stronger stuff than Hyoudou. By the way, nice job on the new club." Ambrose complimented with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Sona smiled a bit, but shook her head as she broke the hug. While she appreciated his attempt at levity, now was not the time. Her eyes traveled to the stone, to the soul prison that held Raynare moments ago.

"You really went all out on Raynare, didn't you?" Sona commented with a frown.

"Sorry if I scared you, but I was trying to scare everyone in the room to keep her off balance." Ambrose admitted with a frown of his own. "Truth be told, not everything was as it seemed."

"What do you mean?" Sona wondered.

"There's a difference between lying and not telling the whole truth." Ambrose said. "Consider the things I said to her. 'A live body can heal, flesh and bone can mend'. That's a true statement, isn't it?"

Sona nodded.

"I also told her that her soul would carry this pain beyond the veil of death. She was still in pain when I sent her back." Ambrose explained, "I never said that the pain wouldn't eventually fade."

"You also told her that she would never heal." Sona reminded him.

"Because she has no body to heal, if a soul is broken it reforms." Ambrose clarified, "And I also told her that I wouldn't let her go until I was satisfied, that is I wouldn't be satisfied until I got all the answers I needed from her. But I also wasn't lying when I said she was facing a fate worse than death. That soul crushing technique I was using, it's not very nice since it can do permanent damage to the soul if too much pressure is applied."

Sona nodded, realizing that he was still telling the truth due to the 'orb of truth' was still activated.

"You should probably turn that thing off." Sona suggested, gesturing to the orb.

Ambrose nodded, and walked to the orb. "Hey Sona?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." Ambrose said with a smile, standing next to the still active orb of truth.

Sona genuinely smiled back. "I love you too."

* * *

The pair had spent all day Sunday trying to incorporate last night's revelations into their plan. The saddest part in Sona's mind was that the revelations had more to do with Rias's betrayal of her friendship and devil diplomacy than anything they found out from Raynare.

In fact, she and Ambrose had discussed the possibilities of bringing the matter to the Board of Governors in order to have Rias's Governorship removed. It would certainly cause a political uproar and would definitely get the Maōs attention.

" _It might cause a big enough stink to get Rias out of her engagement."_ Sona had thought at the time.

But in the end, they decided not to go down that route. That pathway held no chance of exposing Kokabiel. Further more, if word got out of what the sister of Maō Lucifer did then the reputation of the devils' would be damaged beyond repair; there would be no peace between the three factions. There was also the possibility that Sona might be forced to return to the Underworld along with Rias, as her family wouldn't want to remain in the human world alone under such poor diplomatic conditions.

And so, they agreed that Rias Gremory would remain as Governor. Sona and Ambrose stayed together all day Sunday in order to make the necessary adjustments to achieve their goal: try to find evidence of Kokabiel's plan before he attacked in order to alert the Maōs. Once that happened, the three factions would be forced to talk, unite against a common enemy, and hopefully make peace with each other earlier than what was fated. The adjustments they had to make involved establishing a working relationship with Rias, while still giving Ambrose the freedom he needed in order to find proof of Kokabiel's plan to attack Kuoh yet not implicating any devil involvement.

That plan didn't mean that Sona or Ambrose had to forgive Rias.

* * *

"What The Hell Were You Thinking?!" Sona yelled at Rias.

Currently it was Monday and both Sona and Rias were in the student council office alongside their respective **[Queen]** s. Sona had asked Rias to join her for lunch so they could 'discuss' the incident last night.

None of them had even touched their food.

"I'm sorry.", Rias shamefully replied.

"I stayed with the Dragon-Slayer all day yesterday in order to convince him not to go to the Board of Governors and have your Governorship removed." Sona said, glaring at her best friend.

" _I'm starting to get the hang of the concept of 'not lying while not being truthful'"_ Sona thought privately. _"Still, it does feel good to vent."_

"What? No, he can't! Please, I'm sorry." Rias repeated. "I wasn't thinking."

"You're sorry?" Sona repeated, "Is that all you have to say? You jeopardize the credibility of the entire devil nation and all you have to say is 'I'm sorry'?"

"Is he really going to the Board of Governors?" Rias desperately asked.

" _If she were in my peerage I'd spank the shit out of her!"_ Sona furiously thought.

"Is that all you can think about?" Sona asked, "Yourself? Did it ever occur to you that there are other things that matter? How about the Fallen Angels that are now in Kuoh? How about the Dragon-Slayer's life? How about the lives of me and my peerage? How about the reputation of the devil race? Does any of that matter?"

"Of course it matters." Rias insisted.

Sona took a deep breath in order to calm down, focusing herself to remain objective.

"I honestly can't say if he's going to go to the Board of Governors." Sona said after a moment, "I did managed to convince him to meet with you to see if we can work past this."

"Really?" Rias asked hopefully and with a bit of surprise.

" _No doubt glad to be out of the guillotine."_ Sona bitterly thought.

"You owe me." Sona insisted, "You owe me for convincing him to even agree to this meeting."

Rias nodded eagerly, "Yes, thank you Sona. I'll pay this back to you, I promise."

"Don't think you're in the clear." Sona reminded her, "He's still furious."

"What exactly is going on with you two?" Rias asked, "You spend all day with him yesterday, yet you don't have enough pieces to turn him. Why are you so interested in him?"

"He beat me in chess." Sona said to Rias's astonishment.

" _That felt good."_ Sona thought to herself.

The best part of the adjustments to their plans was to plant the seeds for their eventual public relationship. Both Sona and Ambrose had been miserable this past week, though Ambrose probably had it worse. After spending a year together, Ambrose had to content himself with only seeing the back of Sona's head while he was in class. While Sona was off training with her peerage, Ambrose was left alone with only his task of setting up magical sensors across Kuoh to keep him busy. After a meaningful conversation, they both remembered that they had wanted to not only create a better future, but one where the two of them could happily be together.

"Oh Sona." Rias said remorsefully, "I'm so sorry for you."

"Excuse me?" Sona asked.

"Surely you're not going through with it?" Rias asked with wide eyes, "He's a monster. You heard him threaten to tear my soul out and then he tossed me into the sewage plant. I had to take five showers to get the filth and smell off."

"You tried to turn him into a devil against his wishes." Sona incredulously replied. "He threatened you with the exact same thing you attempted to do to him, to bind you to him against your wishes."

"You saw what happened when he questioned that Fallen Angel." Rias argued back.

"This may surprise you Rias, but he's actually very kind when people aren't trying to kill or enslave him." Sona bit back.

"You seem to know him quite well. You certainly weren't surprised about that holy power of his. I thought you said you weren't spying on him." Rias said accusingly.

"I said I wasn't spying on him. I never said that the two of us weren't speaking to each other." Sona said to Rias, "He beat me in chess a week ago when we first met, since then I've been trying to show him that devils are no longer the heartless villains that we used to be. Thanks for ruining that, by the way."

"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" Rias asked.

"I didn't want it to get out. I'm not exactly ready to let the family know." Sona truthfully admitted.

Her sister had taken months to warm up to Ambrose in the future, and now all that work had to be redone. Sona didn't even want to think about how her mother would react when she found out that her daughter was engaged to a man who would not be turned into a devil and also could wield holy magic.

"Does he know about the engagement?" Rias worriedly asked.

Sona crossed her arms, "I had to tell him last night. I basically pleaded with him not to get you into trouble because he's now unexpectedly engaged to me. If you lost your Governorship in disgrace then no doubt I would be forced to return to the Underworld with you."

"Oh dear, how did he take the news?" Rias asked, though Sona thought she just fishing for gossip.

"Pretty well, actually." Sona simply replied while looking at the time. "Lunch is almost over."

"Alright." Rias relented, standing from her seat alongside Akeno, "I'll prepare the Occult Club for you and your fiance's arrival."

Although Sona was more than fine with her engagement to Ambrose, she felt that Rias was trying to take a verbal jab at her by calling him her 'fiance' so soon in order to tease her. Sona wouldn't give Rias the satisfaction by reacting to it.

"I'm also bringing my peerage." Sona informed her, "They'll need to know about the Fallen Angels and the exorcists."

Rias frowned and said nothing, only nodding her head in agreement and then left with her **[Queen]**.

Sona sat down behind her desk feeling mentally exhausted from her bout with Rias. The two had argued before, but only about petty things. This was another matter entirely, Sona still had trouble believing the actions of her friend.

" _Is our childhood friendship over?"_ Sona morosely thought, _"Is our rivalry, now turned bitter, all that remains?"_

"Kaichō", Tsubaki spoke, interrupting Sona's thoughts, "We didn't tell Rias of the possible Fallen Angel presence, just as she never told us. And the Dragon-Slayer came here to warn us, he must have known he was walking into a trap. What's really going on?"

"I only had the Dragon-Slayer's word that there was a Fallen Angel attack coming. Rias, however, knew of they were present in Kuoh a week before the Dragon-Slayer even arrived. She knew and withheld that information from us. What does that say when my own childhood friend doesn't warn me of a possible dangerous situation but a perfect stranger does?" Sona contemplated aloud. "His only reason for warning us is that he believes this might lead to a full scale war, and when he finds out that we actually can't act on this information he agrees to go out and handle it himself at great personal risk. And what does he get in return? Rias Gremory trying to take advantage of him and turn him into a devil against his wishes."

Tsubaki grimaced in reply. "I'm not excusing the actions of Gremory-san, but if we told her from the beginning then perhaps she wouldn't have tried to..."

"Attempt to take advantage of an attack against the Dragon-Slayer and bind him to her against his will?" Sona asked, finishing the distasteful sentence her **[Queen]** couldn't even finish.

They were thoughtfully silent for a moment before Tsubaki spoke. "You and the Dragon-Slayer obviously have some sort of larger plan at play. Are you trying to take the Governorship away from Rias-san? You'll have my support, of course, if that's what you're trying to do."

"No." Sona admitted after weighing the pros and cons of becoming Governor. "If Rias was removed in disgrace, both peerages might be forced to return to the Underworld. Perhaps I'm being sentimental, but I still want to help Rias. I did make a promise to help her break her engagement, but now I'm torn between my childhood friend and my new fiance."

"Is… Is everything going to be alright?" Tsubaki hesitantly asked.

"Don't worry Tsubaki," Sona said, looking at Tsubaki with a reassuring smile. "We're going to have a little kabuki theater this afternoon. Ambrose is still committed to dealing with the Fallen Angel problem, but we're going to continue our ruse with Rias in order to squeeze a few concessions out of her. I think he's earned that."

"Ambrose? Not 'Dragon-Slayer'?" Tsubaki asked with a pleased, yet teasing smile.

Sona nodded and reaffirmed, "Yes, Ambrose. It's not going to be easy, I don't believe he'll ever become a devil, but we've decided going to go through with the engagement. I hope I can count on your support."

"Hai, Kaichō." Tsubaki said, "I am your **[Queen]** , you'll always have my support."

"You're also my best friend." Sona said with a smile, "Thank you."

* * *

The entire student council had assembled immediately after school. This, in itself, was not an unusual occurrence; however, for the past week Sona's peerage had devoted themselves to nothing but training. Today at least half of her peerage would find out what they had been preparing for, but in order for them to understand the dangers they first had to be told of the events which lead up to this point.

" _At least, the 'official' version"_

"We have some troubling business to attend to today, so training will have to be canceled." Sona began seriously, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

"Yes!" Saji cheered, but was quickly silenced by the glare from the entire peerage.

Sona continued to glare at Saji for a moment, before getting to the point.

"Last night I received a phone call from Rias saying that one of Kuoh's students, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer, was killed by a Fallen Angel after being lured out on a date. As some of you may be aware, the Dragon-Slayer is actually a talented sorcerer and alchemist. When I received news of his death, I immediately went to verify it only to discover that the Dragon-Slayer was actually alive and had killed his attacker."

"Ara, why would Rias-san assume he was dead?" Reya asked.

"That is a question the Dragon-Slayer and I immediately tried to answer." Sona continued, "He invited both Rias and I over to his home in order to clear up the misunderstanding, and led us into his alchemist lab. In it, he showed us a stone that he uses to summon the souls of the dead."

Her entire peerage had various degrees of astonishment at that, though her **[Bishop]** Reya seemed to be more interested then surprised.

"With this stone, he summoned the soul of the Fallen Angle who attacked him and the three of us began to question her. Aside from the Fallen Angel that was killed last night, it was revealed that there are three more Fallen Angels who are currently occupying Kuoh's abandoned church. We also discovered that tomorrow a large group of rogue exorcists will be arriving, who are no doubt here to target us."

"Are the Grigori going to war with the devils again?" Momo, Sona's **[Bishop]** , worriedly asked.

"We can't say for certain if these Fallen Angels have gone rogue, or if they were under the Governor Generals' orders. Azazel was mentioned by name, but the Fallen Angel received her orders directly from Kokabiel, one of the Grigori leaders." Sona admitted. "Either way, we cannot bring this to the Maōs because these Fallen Angels can be disavowed at any time. If we or Gremory's peerage become involved in a conflict with these Fallen Angels then war is likely to break out."

Sona took a moment to gauge the reaction to her peerage. They all seemed apprehensive, Sona wished that she could reassure them.

" _Though it's doubtful that they'll have to get involved with this group of Fallen Angels, they should at least be mentally prepared when Kokabiel eventually shows."_ Sona thought to herself, _"I will not let any of them die, nor caught unaware."_

"There's also an additional problem." Sona continued, "Last night it was revealed that Rias Gremory has known about the Fallen Angels in Kuoh for two weeks. Not only has she kept us unaware of the possible dangers, but Rias confessed that she attempted to turn the Dragon-Slayer into a devil against his will. Rias knew that Ambrose was being lured into a trap and she slipped him a Gremory summoning flier in the hope that he would call upon her before he died so that she could force him to become her servant. When he failed to summon her, she had assumed he had died in the attack and notified me to make arrangements."

Sona noted that her entire peerage held various degrees of astonishment, disgust, and anger at that revelation. They were all devils, but Sona was pleased that each member of her peerage held a strong moral fiber within them.

"We're about to attend a meeting between the two peerages of Kuoh, along with the Dragon-Slayer. As you can imagine, this will not be a pleasant meeting. The purpose behind this meeting is to keep the peace between the Dragon-Slayer and Gremory peerage, and also to decide on a course of action that will not only prevent a war but allow us to defend this territory from the Fallen Angels. This will be a delicate negotiation, normally Tsubaki and I would handle this on our own. However, I believe that you all need to be made aware of the situation and the dangers we face. I'm allowing you all to attend so you can listen and learn. You are not speak out of turn. Does everyone understand?"

After receiving their confirmation, Sona Sitri and her peerage left the student council office and made their way to the old school building where the Occult Research Club held their activities. Normally both peerages got along pleasantly enough, though they had always remained formal with one another due to the separation of clans. Today there were no pleasant greetings exchanged, no friendly smiles. Each peerage took one side of the room in the Occult Research Club and said nothing as they stared at one another and waited.

" _The tension in this room is suffocating"_ , Sona thought, _"And Am-chan hasn't even arrived yet."_

As if the thought of his name had summoned him, there was a knock outside of the door. Yuuto Kiba, Rias's **[Knight]** , went to the door to admitted the Dragon-Slayer into the room. Ambrose didn't acknowledged Kiba, nor did he look at anyone else. He stared at Rias as he walked in, his face hard and serious as he approached her and said nothing as he waited for Rias to make the first move.

"Before we begin, I would like to apologize for my actions." Rias contritely said to the Dragon-Slayer.

"What are you apologizing for?" Ambrose asked.

Rias paused in surprise and confusion.

"If you're going to apologize to me, I want you to say why." Ambrose explained, "I want everyone here to know what you tried to do so there's no misunderstanding."

Rias clenched her jaw in frustration for a moment, before swallowing in nervousness, "I apologize for attempting to force you to become my servant."

"You attempted to bind me to you against my will." Ambrose clarified, "And while such a binding can be temporary and undone, the process that would have turned me into a devil is irreversible. You were only caught because you told Kaichō I had died, meaning you knew I would be attacked. Had your plan succeeded, I would have been completely unaware of your involvement. It's quite possible I would have even been grateful for your actions. It was such a masterful plan that I can't help but wonder how many members of your peerage had death sentences hanging over their heads before you turned them into devils."

That last statement cause and immediate and noticeable reaction that wasn't lost on Sona and her entire peerage. Every member of Rias's peerage turned to look at their **[King]** in shock, as if they were children looking for reassurances from their mother.

" _All of them?"_ Sona astonishingly realized. The Sitri and Gremory families didn't typically meddle in each other's affairs, so Sona had no way of knowing the history of every one of Rias's servants. _"But each one looked to Rias for reassurance. If it wasn't true they would have glared at Ambrose for daring to make such an accusation. Rias, what's happened to you?"_

"Now that is a telling reaction." Ambrose commented as he saw the shocked faces of the Gremory peerage.

"How dare you." Rias hissed at Ambrose, clenching her fist in anger and visibly shaking in rage. "You don't know anything about me or my peerage. The Gremory clan is renowned for being affectionate with their servants, we love them!"

"Perhaps to sooth your guilty conscience." Ambrose replied, "Twice is a coincidence, but three times is a pattern. That's four, when you include what you tried to do to me; it paints a disturbing picture, doesn't it?"

" _Five times!"_ Sona thought, recalling a scene from a year ago when Rias had introduced her to Gasper Vladi, the half vampire. _"Rias had been so proud to have such a powerful new servant, but he was terribly shy and cried so often. Rias told me how she had saved his life from his own vampiric clan. It seemed noble at the time, but now? Rias, who are you? What happened to my friend?"_

Sona realized that this had gone on long enough and decided to break up the argument before it devolved further. "While I understand that you two have some rather serious issues that need to be addressed, I'd like to remind everyone that we have a greater problem at hand. Fallen Angels have infiltrated Kuoh and exorcist are due to arrive tomorrow. Can we please set these differences aside for now so we can focus on our more immediate concerns?"

"Very well." Rias conceded and moved to sit on her desk.

"Alright then. Tell us Governor Gremory, how do you plan on dealing with the Fallen Angels?" Ambrose asked, putting Rias in the spotlight once more.

"Unfortunately there isn't much we can do." Rias frustratedily admitted.

"Rias is correct." Sona said, following her and Ambrose's script, "Any attack, or retaliation to an attack will cause a diplomatic incident. Further more, we can not take this matter to our superiors. The only thing they would do would be to start an inquiry which would result in the Grigori disavowing these Fallen Angels as rogues. This process takes time so we're still left with no help."

"So you'll do nothing." Ambrose observed.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." Rias admitted.

Ambrose took a slow breath and put his finger to his chin, as if he were in thought. Sona knew he was stalling, letting the gravity of the situation sink in; they had planned for this moment.

"If only you knew someone who wasn't affiliated with either faction, someone who could handle this on their own." Ambrose commented.

" _Hook."_

"Are you offering your assistance to deal with these Fallen Angels and exorcists?" Rias disbelievingly asked.

"Not for free." Ambrose said, "Devils do favors for payment, so if I'm going to do a favor for a devil then it only makes sense that I receive payment in return."

" _Line."_

"What do you want?" Rias cautiously asked.

"Nothing from you." Ambrose said with a glare.

" _Wait, what?"_ Sona thought in surprise, _"Am-chan what are you doing?"_

"I can't trust you after what you did. However, Kaichō has proven herself to be honorable and seems to care about the safety of the students of this school." Ambrose said, turning his attention from Rias to look at Sona. "She's earned my trust, so here's what I suggest. Kaichō pays me for my services and Rias, as Governor, reimburse her."

Sona's eyes widened in surprise, though secretly pleased with this turn of events, "That's two you owe me Rias."

Rias looked displeased, but nodded in agreement.

"What exactly do you want from me, Dragon-Slayer?" Sona asked, honestly curious as to what her fiance had planned.

"It can't be something large. We don't want the devils to be implicated..." Ambrose trailed off in thought, though Sona guessed he already had something in mind.

"How about a date, Kaichō?" Ambrose suggested with a pleased smile.

"What?", a few members of both peerages said in shock, though Momo and Ruruko giggled to each other.

"Hey asshole!" Saji angrily yelled, "Who the hell do you think you are to ask Kaichō out on a date?"

"Saji, quiet!" Sona ordered her **[Pawn]**.

"But Kaichō" Saji whined.

Tsubaki went up behind Saji and firmly grabbed ahold of his ear. "Quiet."

" _I'm starting to see what my future-self meant when it comes to Saji."_ Sona frowned in thought, _"I'll have to make an effort to correct his behavior."_

"Fu, fu, fu. Trying to get another date so soon?" Akeno, Rias's **[Queen]** spoke up. "Kaichō should probably be worried considering how your last date ended. Why did you agree to date a Fallen Angel in the first place?" Akeno questioned, no doubt suspicious of Ambrose's motives. "You could tell that we were devils, so you had to have sensed that Raynare was a Fallen Angel."

"You're right, I knew." Ambrose admitted, "It's why I agreed to go out with her in the first place."

"Care to explain?" Rias asked, though it sounded like more of an order.

"Well... You're all devils and live long lives, so I suppose there's no harm in telling you." Ambrose began, "You see, I'm the new immortal alchemist; I'm going to be young forever."

That admission left both peerages speechless, though Sona noted that her magically obsessed **[Bishop]** , Reya, seemed extremely fascinated.

"I'm at the beginning of a very long life and I don't want to spend it alone. Before it becomes public knowledge, I hope to marry a woman who actually loves me and not because of what I can offer her. When Yuuma, or Raynare as it were, asked me out on a date I agreed. She's a Fallen Angel and they live extraordinary long lives, my immortality wouldn't matter to her. I'm also an alchemist and the Grigori are known for their contributions and advancements in the study of magic and science. While you may not realize it being devils, the Grigori generally don't make trouble for other supernaturals."

Sona and Ambrose agreed on revealing this information, since it was mostly true. Ambrose hadn't created a stone which granted immortality, but he had created a work around. He simply chose to imply his stone worked like the true philosopher's stone did as a misdirection. What was true was that Ambrose had kept his immortality a secret because he wanted to meet someone who would love him for him. Since he and Sona were engaged and were in the process of slowly leaking that information out, then there was no reason to keep his immortality a secret.

" _In fact, it works in our favor since my engagement to a non-devil is going to cause enough problems."_ Sona thought.

"You realize that if you attack these Fallen Angels then the Grigori might retaliate." Rias told him.

"They won't retaliate." Ambrose confidently said, "These Fallen Angels have already attacked me and are currently bringing in reinforcements to attack you, their intentions are clearly hostile. If the Grigori, as a whole, retaliates against me for defending myself or dealing with this threat then it would be an admission that the actions of these Fallen Angles are sanctioned."

"You're certain that you can handle this?" Sona asked, though she knew her fiance could complete this task easily.

"I am."

"If a sorcerer, such as yourself, were able to handle three Fallen Angels and a group of exorcists on his own, then it would only be natural for a devil to take an interest." Sona commented aloud, "I accept your offer."

"Excellent, I hope to have this matter dealt with by the end of the week." Ambrose said, as if he adding a simple task into his schedule. "In the mean time I suggest both peerages stay in large groups, and that you not complete any contracts with humans until I've cleaned this up."

"What?" Rias asked, angry that someone would interfere with her business.

"It makes sense." Sona said and then explained, "You saw how he forced you to appear. It isn't a stretch to assume that others might do it. Even if they can't forcefully summon you, they could still request a summons and attempt to ambush us."

"Also, the less magical activity within the city, the greater of a chance I have to find them." Ambrose said, "It's going to be much harder for me to sense the Fallen Angels and exorcists if you're all magically popping around Kuoh."

"Very well, my peerage and I will restrict our movements and focus on training." Sona said, though she glared at Saji when he groaned loudly in disappointment.

"I suppose it's for the best." Rias admitted with a sigh.

"Excellent. I'll keep Kaichō informed of my progress, she can inform the rest of you." Ambrose said as the meeting came to a close.

"Thank you Dragon-Slayer." Sona said with a smile, "I look forward to seeing the results of your efforts."

"Please." Ambrose said smiling at her. "Call me Ambrose."

"Ambrose." Sona smiled softly back at her fiance. "Please call me Sona, at least when we're not in public."

"Of course, Sona-Kaichō." Ambrose replied.


	11. Season 1, Chapter 3

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

A few days after the meeting at the Occult Research Club Sona, Tsubaki, Momo, and Reya had gathered around the student council desk in a circle. They were currently staring at a Sitri Clan summoning flier. After Ambrose had forcefully summoned Rias into his home, Sona had forbidden her servants from using, carrying, or traveling with summoning fliers. She even banned all magical teleportation until they could solve this problem. It was an alarming vulnerability, one that could potentially jeopardize not only her peerage but the entire devil race.

Sona trusted Ambrose and she knew he would never teach anyone else how he did it. Never the less, the simple matter that the vulnerability existed meant that she had to figure out how to counter it. Just because Ambrose wouldn't teach anyone else didn't mean that someone else couldn't figure it out.

"Are you sure we can't invite the Dragon-Slayer over to give us one little demonstration?" Reya, Sona's **[Bishop],** pleaded for the fifth time.

Ever since Ambrose had revealed himself to be the new immortal alchemist, Reya had been constantly asking Sona to introduce him to her. This wasn't too surprising; the entire reason Reya joined Sona's peerage was so that she could extend her lifespan in order to further her own study and understanding of magic. But something told Sona that Reya wanted to do more than question Ambrose.

" _More like study him in depth."_ Sona privately thought, swearing to herself that she would never allow Reya to be alone with her fiance.

"He explained to me how he did it." Sona replied, effectively shutting down Reya's request for now. "As you know, normal magical transportation requires you to have a clear mental image of where you're going. You can't transport to somewhere you've never been."

"If you can't transport to a place you've never been then how do these fliers work?" Momo curiously asked. "What's the difference between magically transporting yourself versus using the fliers?"

While Momo had been born with magic, she didn't have the same in depth study that Reya and Sona had. Tsubaki was in a similar situation; her early magical training focused more on the esoteric eastern magic which mostly involved dealing with spirits. This differed from western magic which was more robust and had a wider variety of uses. However all magic, even devil's magic, held the same core principles; the manifestation of will power in order to alter the world around them. The only difference was the techniques that were used and the methods they used to applied magic.

Reya studied all of these aspects of magic, and because of this Sona felt that Reya would be an excellent magical instructor once her school was built.

"The difference is in the details." Reya explained to Momo, "Transporting yourself is 'first person transportation' and you have to know where you're going. When it's you and someone else it's 'second person transportation' and at least one person has to know where they're going. When creating a magical circle to only transport someone else it's 'third person transportation', and the person who activates the magic has to know where to go. Still, each different type involves someone knowing where the destination is."

"The summoning circle on the flier is away around the limitation of not knowing where you're going." Reya continued to educate her fellow **[Bishop]**. "It acts as a beacon that's attuned to the magic of the Sitri clan seal. Since we are Sitri clan servants we can instinctively locate this beacon, often with out realizing it."

"The way Ambrose explained the exploit was that it's like a sonar." Sona said while recalling her fiance's words. "Since the flier is attuned to our magic, he can send a magical pulse that travels outward until it finds the energy that it's attuned to. Once it finds that energy, it bounces back towards the flier letting him know the location of all the devils attuned to its energy signature."

"So with one flier he can identify the location of an entire peerage?" Tsubaki asked with wide eyes.

"It gets worse. Ambrose is also able to deduce how strong the devil is by measuring how strong the signal is when it bounces back, that's how he was able to identify Rias from the rest of her peerage. This method basically turns the devil into the beacon instead of the flier. With this information he can activate the flier and forcefully summon a devil, or even transport himself to the devil in question using his own method of teleportation."

"How long did the entire process take?" Reya asked.

"He pretty much activated the seal, tossed it on the floor and immediately summoned Rias." Sona admitted.

"Can you please introduce me to him, Kaichō?" Reya pleaded for the sixth time.

"No, stop asking." Sona said irritably. "He's busy hunting Fallen Angels and we have to figure this out."

"Based on his explanation it should be safe for us to use personal magical transportation." Tsubaki reasoned, "It's only the fliers that poses the security risk."

"Yes, you're right about that." Sona conceded, allowing them to use magical teleportation again.

"You know, it's too bad that we can't keep part of this vulnerability." Momo said after a thought. "It could be useful if we were attacked or separated. We could use the fliers to find each other or even transport us to and from danger."

"Yes, but we'd have find a way so that only we could use that ability, rather than just anyone." Tsubaki reasoned. "As it is, anyone could simply locate and summon us."

"That's..." Sona said, "That's actually a good idea, Momo…. That could work…."

"Kaichō?" Tsubaki asked, "What do you mean?"

An idea began to form in Sona's mind, an idea that she had never thought possible before. _"Because of my experience with 'Osmosis'?"_

"Momo's idea was good, but you're also right Tsubaki. We would have to figure out a way to modify the fliers so that only we could use the exploit." Sona said aloud.

"We'd have to create a whole new rune set order to do it." Reya frowned at the idea.

"Isn't that like creating a whole new method of magical transportation?" Momo asked.

Sona and Reya somberly nodded and the entire peerage frowned at the extra work.

"No, wait! It already exists." Sona exclaimed grabbing a book on magical transportation that she had brought from her apartment. "Here", she said, showing a page that showed the Sitri clan symbol. "This is the actual clan symbol that appears on the ground whenever we transport. Compare this to the flier. See the difference?"

"It's the same." Tsubaki said after a moment of studying it.

"The clan symbol is the same." Reya observed, "But the devil runes differ. One identifies it as the clan's transportation circle, the other identifies the the flier as the clan's transportation beacon."

"But this is the part I'm referring to." Sona said, pointing to a specific rune set. "This is the identification portion of the transportation circle. It's the reason why we can only transport people affiliated with the Sitri Clan. We can't transport a Gremory, or a human; we can only transport members of the clan."

"Why can we only transport Clan members?" Momo asked, "Why can't we just teleport with anyone?"

"The practice goes back to the Devil Civil War." Sona said, educating her servant, "Before the civil war a Devil could teleport along side someone who wasn't a member of their clan. But the Devil Civil War was costly and turned family against family. There were instances where a family member would bring in an army to kill their Clan Head. Maō Beelzebub, or Ajuka Asutaroto as he was known then, developed this Clan Identification Signature rune set so that only individuals who were members of the same clan could teleport. This prevented rebellious family members from ambushing their clan heads in their house. It also allowed weaker members a chance to escape. Often, an heir to a family would be kidnapped for ransom, blackmail. With this method an heir or heiress could teleport to safety with out bringing an army in behind them. It wasn't fool proof, but it did prevent a lot of the remaining 33 Pillars from destroying themselves."

"Do the old ways of teleporting still exist?" Tsubaki asked, "Is it possible to transport someone who isn't a member of the clan?"

"It is possible, but that knowledge is held by the Clan heads." Sona replied, "It's privileged information. While the identification rune set was created and applied to the teleport circle, it was never added to a flier."

"If we could incorporate the identification portion rune set as a condition for the exploit in the flier then the vulnerability would be closed." Reya realized, "Not only that, but we could still use the vulnerability ourselves and turn it into an asset."

"We could transport ourselves to members who are in danger, or remove members from danger by transporting them away." Tsubaki said excitedly. "We could locate lost members, it might even give us an edge in a rating game!"

Sona gasped in astonishment, a beautiful idea was forming, a wonderful idea, an idea that was so…

"Kaichō?" Tsubaki questioned after a moment.

"Shh!" Sona silenced Tsubaki so she could think, her eyes growing wide in excitement. "We could do more than that… What if we used the identification rune set and add it to high level attacks."

"What do you mean, Kaichō?" Tsubaki asked.

"Okay, let me break this down. The identification portion basically says 'If this person is of the Sitri Clan, then activate the spell'. What we're doing is putting it on the flier that says 'If this person is of the Sitri Clan, then allow the activation of the magical sonar location and transport the individual'. If a person using the flier isn't a member of the Sitri Clan, then the flier would simply work as it normal should. But the important part is the rune set that specifically identifies a Sitri Clan members. What if we could add that to a high level magical attacks but flip it around it so that the spell doesn't affect Sitri Clan members? 'If this person is of the Sitri Clan then do not allow the spells to affect them'."

"Our most powerful attacks would do damage to everything but us." Reya said slowly before widening her eyes in astonishment, "We would eliminate the very possibility of friendly fire."

"We might be injured by explosive debris, but the actual attack won't hurt." Tsubaki followed along.

"This would change the art of magical combat forever." Reya realized with wide eyes and a huge smile. "Oh My, I won't ever have to hold back again!"

"That's brilliant, Kaichō" Momo complimented.

Their revelation was interrupted by a knock on the door and the group scrambled to gather up any and all references of their work.

"Sona?" Rias said, peeking her head through the door of the student council room.

Sona sighed in relief; however, she also noticed that her peerage didn't stop gathering any and all materials. _"Good girls."_ Sona thought, not willing to give Rias any edge.

"What are you doing?" Rias asked as she walked in the door.

The security vulnerability on the fliers had to be addressed and the solution would be provided to the entire devil nation. The ability to forcefully summon a devil could not be allowed to exist; however, Sona vowed to keep all other discoveries to herself. The ability to locate her peerage and transport them to and from danger with a single flier was too valuable to share outside the clan. And the ability to cast high level magic attacks that would do no damage to her own peerage was priceless.

" _I could siphon the water out of all living beings around me with out damaging my peerage."_ Sona thought to herself, _"You're in for a rough time when we face off in a rating game, Rias."_

"Trying to figure out how to counteract the exploit Ambrose used on the flier." Sona admitted, still annoyed that Rias invited herself in.

"Do you need any help?" Rias offered.

"No, we have it covered. We should have it finished in a few days." Sona said, not wanting to reveal any secrets to her rival.

"I can't believe he did that." Rias said, frowning at the memory of being forcefully summoned.

"If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have known about the vulnerability." Sona replied, "And he taught me how it works so that we could fix it."

"Have you spoken to him lately?" Rias asked.

"The last time I heard from him was two nights ago." Sona answered, "He said he encountered two Fallen Angels at the site where his 'date' ended. There was a fight but they both flew away, he didn't pursue them because the humans could have seen them. I haven't spoken to him since then, why?"

"You wanted me to limit my interactions with him. We agreed that you'd act as a mediator between the two of us, so I thought you should know that I ran into him last night." Rias explained.

That was news to Sona.

Since news of the Fallen Angel became common knowledge Sona's peerage requested even more training. They all knew the dangers that were waiting and wanted to prepare for the worst. Sona obliged them and was quite proud of their dedication and commitment.

" _Even Saji stopped complaining, mostly..."_

But the extra training meant extra long nights. Sona had received a text from Ambrose last night, but she didn't read it until this morning and hadn't had time to get an update from him yet.

"You saw him out at night?" Sona questioned. "Why were you even out at all? I thought we agreed to keep a low profile."

"I was contacted by the archduke about a stray devil loose in the town." Rias said, "I couldn't ignore it. Ambrose found the stray as well and we defeated it together."

"Tell me exactly what happened." Sona insisted.

Rias nodded and began her account of last night's activities.

* * *

Rias Gremory and her peerage appeared at the location the archduke had given them, an isolated abandoned building. Her mission was to destroy a stray devil that has been using this location to lure innocent humans in order to eat them. While fighting strays was nasty business, Rias was grateful for the opportunity to further her peerage's training. It wasn't lost on Rias that her friend and rival, Sona, had begun to seriously train her peerage. While not as strict or demanding as Sona, Rias felt that her peerage could use the exercise, especially when one considered the recent arrival of Fallen Angels and exorcists. While handling strays was not as dangerous as going up against the holy magic of the Fallen Angels, one could never be too careful. She was glad that her peerage seemed alert and ready for anything.

"What are you doing?" A voice spoke up from behind them.

Rias's peerage were instantly on guard, with the exorcists arriving today they had been warned to expect a possible ambush. Their guard did not relax when they saw who spoke, the Dragon-Slayer was standing there behind them. While not angry, he was not pleased to see them.

"I thought I asked you not to go wandering around at night until I took care of the Fallen Angels." Ambrose said with a stern look.

"There's a stray devil in the area." Rias cautiously explained, "It betrayed and killed its master and is currently luring people into that building in order to eat them. As Governor, it's my duty to eliminate it."

Ambrose sighed in disappointment, "So that's what that was."

"Ara, what do you mean?" Akeno asked him.

"I've been setting up a few magical sensors around Kuoh so I can search for the Fallen Angels. These sensors let me know when magic has been performed. I'm still fine tuning it to recognize magical signatures so it doesn't help when you all start popping up around the city." Ambrose explained, "Still, seems like Fallen Angels are laying low tonight. Today's the day the exorcists arrived, so they're probably settling in the abandoned church. I came here because I discovered an unknown magical signature in this building, that's when you appeared."

"Would you like to accompany us while we deal with this stray devil?" Rias asked, to her peerage's astonishment.

The Dragon-Slayer didn't verbally reply, he simply nodded and headed towards the abandoned building.

"Wait." Rias interrupted, "Before we go in you have to promise not to use any holy magic. I don't want my servants to become… distracted."

"Very well." Ambrose replied with a nod, "I won't use any holy or light magic what so ever."

As the group made their way towards the abandoned building, Rias took a moment to regard the most confusing person she had ever met in her entire life, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer. She had first heard about him before she ever met him. It started innocently enough, a classmate had asked her if she had a brother. When you're the little sister of Maō Lucifer and attend high school in the human world, then you tend to be closed lipped about your brother. However, as the day went by more and more people started asking her whether or not she had a brother. It was the strangest thing.

It wasn't until she saw him help the kendo club corral the perverted trio that she realized what the fuss was about. Standing there outside the old school building was a ghost from her past. Against all reason, Rias saw her long lost nephew Millicas now grown into a teen. She had quickly asked her **[Queen]** Akeno who that student was, not sure if she was seeing a hallucination. Akeno giggled and told her that he was the new transfer student, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer. Akeno said that she had waited all day to see Rias's reaction to Kuoh's newest student and thought it was funny that he looked so much like her brother. Rias was too shocked to even care what Akeno thought, she abandoned her chess match with her **[Queen]** and quickly rushed to the student council room to get some answers.

Unfortunately the answers she got from her friend and rival Sona were not the ones she was hoping for. Sona had explained how she had originally thought the same as her, but had spoken to the Dragon-Slayer and confirmed that he was not Millicas. He could not be a pure blood devil if he had **[Sacred Gear]** , nor could he if he could use holy magic. It was a bitter pill, and Rias had left the office feeling foolish for daring to hope that her nephew had actually been alive.

When she returned to the Occult Research Club her **[Rook]** , Koneko, informed her that the Fallen Angel they had been keeping an eye on had approached the Dragon-Slayer while disguised as a young girl. Rias began to worry that the meeting between the Fallen Angel that she had been watching and the Dragon-Slayer was not a coincidence. She began to fear the worst; if Sona's words were true and the Dragon-Slayer could wield holy magic then the Fallen Angel could have possibly come to Kuoh in order to attack the devils and the Dragon-Slayer was in league with her, having been sent to personally torment her with the memory of her dead nephew. She instructed Yuuto, her **[Knight]** , to take over watching the Fallen Angel and for Koneko to abandon her surveillance and immediately start watching the Dragon-Slayer.

As the days went by and she reviewed the reports Koneko gave her, Rias began to realize that the Dragon-Slayer was an unwitting pawn being lured into a trap. He even seemed completely unaware that he was under surveillance. Every morning and every evening Koneko would perch herself up in a tree in an undeveloped lot and watch his apartment from across the street. She couldn't see everything, but could tell that he was quietly settling into his new life in Kuoh and made no suspicious movements.

Still, Rias had to keep her distance. The Dragon-Slayer didn't trust devils, he wanted to be left alone, he wanted his privacy. Rias had already broken her promise to Sona by spying on him, but that was for the security of both peerages. Rias felt that she had to protect him, but she would remain faithful to the spirit of her promise to Sona; Rias would keep her distance.

She knew the Dragon-Slayer was in danger but could not act on it till the appropriate time, so Rias hatched a plan. She would slip the Dragon-Slayer a flier so that he could summon her when the Fallen Angel attacked. It would seem innocent enough, as if he just happened to get the flier while waiting for his date. Rias could only hoped that he would have enough time to activate it before the worst happened. She couldn't watch the events unfold, for if she sent someone to spy on their date then the Fallen Angel might become aware and kill him before Rias had a chance to act. Rias knew that there were no guarantees and that she might arrive too late to save his life, but promised herself that if that happened she would make him her servant. Her family would naturally adore him and shower him with love. Deep in her heart, Rias had dared to hope that Sona had been wrong; that it wasn't light magic she sensed from the Dragon-Slayer, that he might actually be her nephew. Rias couldn't help but imagine a tearful reunion as her family was made whole once more.

All those hopes and more had died the night of Ambrose's date.

He hadn't used the flier, and as the hours went by it seemed more and more likely that he had been killed. Since he hadn't activated the flier, Rias had no way of knowing where he was. Regretfully, she had called Sona to give her the terrible news; her friend was mostly silent in shock. Rias then confessed what she had planned to her **[Queen]** and best friend Akeno. At the time Rias wished she had done something more; that she should have risked sending a servant to watch this trap unfold, just to be sure. It was then that she suddenly disappeared from the Occult Research Club and found herself in a new place.

Being forcefully summoned was a dizzying disorienting feeling, it took her a moment to gain her bearings. But as she looked around she found Sona and the Dragon-Slayer waiting for her.

Rias felt alarmed, confused, and immediately on guard despite the presence of her childhood friend and rival. When the Dragon-Slayer questioned her about the flier, she had kept up with the cover story that Sona had insisted, that all devils keep their distance.

The Dragon-Slayer then explained that he had survived his encounter, and that they were going to question the Fallen Angel who tried to murder him. Rias then saw an opportunity to get some answers of her own. She not only wanted to know more about what the Fallen Angels had planned, but she also wanted to know more about this mysterious teen who wore the face of her brother. It seemed that he had pulled the veil over her eyes; as he lead her through his home Rias deduced that the images that Koneko saw were illusions and that his apartment was magically expanded to have multiple floors.

It also seemed that for every answer that she was given, more questions and surprises emerged.

The first surprise was the fact that the Dragon-Slayer had a Phenix egg as a trophy, completely encased in ice and put on display. It wasn't lost on Rias that if he had beaten a Phenix before then he could do it again and possibly save her from her engagement.

But that delightful surprise soon vanished after he gave his demonstration of the 'orb of truth' and summoned the ghost of Raynare the Fallen Angel.

When the Dragon-Slayer used his stone to summon Raynare, Rias was more surprised than revolted. She had spoken to and dealt with spirits before. But these were ones that had appeared on their own, not ones that were forcefully summoned. Rias had never summoned any spirits before, she had only helped them move beyond the veil of death, sometimes forcefully.

Rias was also no stranger to torture, having had to get information from a few stay devils in the past. She had grown even more use to it due to her **[Queen]** 's penchant for sadomasochism. What caused her to be paralyzed in complete fright and terror was the potent holy aura that suffocated the entire room when the Dragon-Slayer gathered his power. Sona appeared to be prepared for it; she had previously warned Rias about it, so no doubt Sona had experienced it before. But never before had Rias encountered such a dominating holy presence, the fact that it came from an individual wearing her brother's face made it all the more alarming.

Just as alarming as the Dragon-Slayer's holy power, was the answers Raynare gave. There were three more Fallen Angels, even worse was the knowledge that a band of rogue exorcists would soon arrive who would no doubt specifically target them.

Rias began to consider the implications of Raynare's confession and the possible involvement of the Grigori leaders when the Dragon-Slayer unexpectedly asked if she had planned to turn him into a devil after Raynare had attacked him.

That's when things went from bad to worse.

The orb had flashed, signaling that she had lied, and looking back Rias could admit that that was technically true from a certain point of view. There was no malice in her actions, but in the event that the Dragon-Slayer was critically injured or lost his life then she did, in fact, plan to turn him into a devil.

She tried to explain herself, try to make them see that she only wanted to protect him. She couldn't have directly acted with out violating his privacy. The distinction was lost on both Sona and the Dragon-Slayer as Rias soon found out that she was now being interrogated.

Sona accused her of violating their agreement, and while Rias technically did, she couldn't help but notice that Sona was not surprised by any of the Dragon-Slayer's actions. When Rias attempted to point that out, she was shocked to find that Sona hadn't actually spied on him. It was then Rias started to realize that the 'orb of truth' knew what was literally true but couldn't tell the circumstances or intention behind the truth.

However, the Dragon-Slayer seemed to have a keen eye for spotting weaknesses and his next question soon put Rias on the spot again when he asked her how long she had known the Fallen Angel had been in Kuoh.

Rias stuttered to answer because the situation behind the answer was more complex than the answer to his question. Rias had known about the Fallen Angel for two weeks, but hadn't acted on that information for a very good reason. Akeno, her **[Queen]** , had been a Fallen Angel before she was turned. The archduke had found Akeno alone in Kuoh, exhausted, starved, and hunted by her mother's clan. He took pity on her and introduced her to Rias, who had been visiting at the time, and the two became best friends. Although Akeno resented and rejected her Fallen Angel ancestry, Rias had never forgotten the example of the archduke and the lesson she learned. That sometimes an enemy is not your enemy and can become your best friend. So when a Fallen Angel appeared within her own territory, Rias had been cautious, but allowed the Fallen Angel to exist peacefully so long as she made no aggressive moves. It wasn't until Rias started investigating a possible link between the Fallen Angel and the Dragon-Slayer did she realize that Raynare was actually a threat.

Sona and the Dragon-Slayer were too worked up to even listen to her explanation, though Rias had to admit that Sona had a right to be angry. The three of them had just found out about a massive plot to attack all the devils in Kuoh, so Sona should have been informed about the possible threat when Rias discovered Raynare's true intention. Perhaps if she had confided in Sona before the date, this could have been avoided.

Sona began accusing her of betraying the devil race, wanting to know why she would go to such lengths, why she would betray the work of the Maōs and what was so important to risk everything.

The 'orb of truth' wouldn't allow her to properly explain, so she answered Sona as best as she could. She was desperate. Before discovering that Raynare was a threat, Rias had dared to hope that she could make peace with this Fallen Angel. When Rias had discovered that the Dragon-Slayer's life was in danger, she had dared to hope that she could make peace with the Dragon-Slayer. Rias had dared to hope that she could bring them both into her Clan and she could finally be free of her engagement. But she was bound by her constraints. She couldn't have warned the Dragon-Slayer or Sona with out admitting she had been spying, and she could have only stepped in at the right moment to maintain the appearance that she had upheld her promise to Sona.

The worst was when the Dragon-Slayer spoke again. The oppressive holy energy within him completely filled the entire room, it was like suddenly finding yourself within a scorching heat that sucked the air right out of you and seared your skin. He marched towards her, and despite Rias's paralyzing fear she instinctively backed away. The face of her brother, now furious beyond measure, threatened to tear her very soul from her body, crush it in his hand, and enslave her to him. Rias had never been more frightened in her entire life, and when he reached for her she instinctively flinched away, only to find herself dumped into Kuoh's sewage treatment plant.

Despite the disgusting environment she found herself in, Rias had been grateful to be away from the Dragon-Slayer's terrible wrath.

After five showers throughout Sunday, Rias had went to school on Monday in the hopes of clearing up the misunderstanding. Sona was still too worked up listen, she wouldn't even let her properly explain. Rias realized how her actions could be misconstrued, but had hoped that her friend would listen to her side of the story. However, Rias soon found herself on the defensive again as she learned that she might lose her Governorship over Kuoh territory and be forced to return to the underworld in disgrace. Rias knew that if that happened the dishonor would stay with her for the rest of her life, and she feared that the possible result of her disgrace would see her married off to Riser Phenix so fast her head would spin.

" _Or perhaps Riser would release me from my engagement, not willing to marry a woman who brought disgrace to not only her Clan but the entire devil nation."_ Rias thought to herself at the time, unsure which fate would be worse.

When Sona had told her how she had managed to convince the Dragon-Slayer to a meeting in order to straighten out this mess, Rias had grasped it as a life line. She knew that if she had the chance to properly explain things then this entire mess could be resolved. Truthfully, Rias had been quite surprised that Sona had managed to get the Dragon-Slayer to even agree to a meeting and when she asked what was going on between them she received another bombshell.

Sona was now engaged to a young man who instilled a terrible fear into Rias. Sona Sitri, a high class devil, her childhood friend was engaged to a young man who wielded the most overpowering and oppressive holy magic she had ever felt in he entire life. But Sona had gotten out of one unwanted engagement, and Rias vowed to help her friend get out of this one as well.

However, Rias was stunned to find out that Sona had accepted the engagement and planned to go through with it.

" _Didn't she feel his holy power when he interrogated Raynare?"_ Rias had thought at the time, _"Didn't she hear how he threatened me?"_

But Sona had hinted that there was another side to the Dragon-Slayer, that there was more to him then what Rias saw. Sona revealed that while she hadn't been spying on him she had been secretly meeting with him. Rias understood why Sona hadn't mentioned her defeat in chess before, Maō Leviathan would no doubt have something to say on the matter. Rias didn't even want to think about how Sona's mother would react to someone who wielded holy magic being in her family.

And so, after her meeting with her childhood friend, Rias had made preparations for what was sure to be a difficult meeting. Never the less, Rias was determined to set things right, to clear up this misunderstanding so they could move past this mess and focus on the threat of the Fallen Angels.

Unfortunately the Dragon-Slayer proved that his propensity for catching her off guard was not just a one time occurrence when Rias's attempt to apologize was turned on its head.

The worst part was when he insinuated that she had conspired to not only forcefully turn him, but suggested that she had done the same to her entire peerage.

She had never been so insulted in her life. She treasured each and every one of her servants, she loved them like her own family. The memory of him even suggesting it caused Rias's blood to boil. She had saved them all; gave them new life and a place within her clan.

Akeno had been found by the archduke, he took her to his home where Rias had happened to be visiting at the time. Despite her being a Fallen Angel, Rias's heart went out to the starving girl and the pair had quickly formed a close friendship and were now as close as sisters. While it was true that Akeno was being hunted at that time, Rias was not involved in that.

Her sweet Koneko had been brought to her by her brother. When Koneko's sister, Kuroka, had butchered her **[King]** 's entire peerage, Koneko was left behind to answer for her sister's crimes. The penalty for killing your master and peerage was to become a stray and have a death sentence over your head. At first it was thought that Koneko was involved in the massacre and that she would pay for those crimes. After an investigation and being questioned by the Maōs, Koneko was found not to have been involved in the attack and her brother introduced them so that Rias could attempt to heal the poor girl's heart. The ill-fated girl had the disposition of a scared kitten when Rias had first met her and to this day she remained quiet and on guard, suspicious of everyone.

When she had first met Yuuto he was nearly corpse. Her brother had been investigating the massacre of the candidates for the Holy Sword Project. Despite being on the brink of death, Rias couldn't help but think he was handsome and didn't hesitate to turn him into her own white knight. Her brother had been surprised, but quite pleased by Rias's actions at the time. Her actions allowed the Maōs to get a few answers about the Holy Sword project, and her new **[Knight]** was quickly taken away for a few days to be questioned. When Yuuto was returned to Rias, she had begun the process of getting to know her new **[Knight]** and found him to be polite, but reserved, keeping his personal thoughts and feelings to himself.

Gasper Vladi came to her in a similar situation. Rias had accompanied her brother to Romania for a small diplomatic trip to visit the Vampire Nation. However, Rias was to stay in the hotel and was not allowed to attend any diplomatic functions. That suited Rias just fine, she was young at the time and didn't want to be around a bunch of arrogant stuffy vampires. Her brother's meeting was cut short and he came back to the hotel with the little vampire Vladi, suggesting that she turn him to save his life.

While Rias resented the Dragon-Slayer's implication that she was some evil mastermind who went around creating situations that would turn people into devils, a terrible thought had entered her mind. Rias had realize that perhaps the Dragon-Slayer was right about one thing, there was a pattern to the formation of her peerage. Every single member of her peerage did in fact have a death sentence over their heads when she had turned them. But more importantly, in Rias's mind, they had been brought to her, either by the archduke but mostly by her own brother. Since her brother became Maō Lucifer, he was technically no longer a Gremory and couldn't interfere in Gremory affairs, such as her engagement to Riser Phenix.

Rias's pride burned in shame at the thought, _"Did Onii-sama have a hand in the formation of my entire peerage? What kind of a **[King]** am I to have to rely on him so much?"_

But the thoughts of Rias's brother and his possible hidden actions behind the creation of her peerage was halted when Sona reminded everyone at the meeting that they had more pressing concerns. There were Fallen Angels to deal with as well as a contingent of exorcists. Both peerages were in danger and all of their hands were effectively tied.

When the Dragon-Slayer offered to handle the problem himself, it seemed like the best solution. Rias didn't even mind his attempt to extort her for the job, as long as it was handled properly, but then the most unexpected thing happened. He essentially differed his payment to Sona and said that the only thing he really wanted was a date with her. She knew that the Dragon-Slayer was recently made aware of his engagement to Sona, and Rias felt that this was his way of publicly accepting it. Devils come from a world where strength is prized above all else, and declaring your intention to fight Fallen Angels and exorcists for a date was probably the most romantic gesture Rias had ever seen in her life.

Rias had started to see what Sona had hinted at, that there was more to the Dragon-Slayer than she realized. He was a genius, judging by his claims at creating a philosopher's stone, cunning enough to keep Rias on her toes, and strong if he was willing to take on the Fallen Angels and exorcists. Even his ability to wield holy magic held a "bad boy" quality that would no doubt drive Sona's mother up the wall.

So when Rias and her peerage unexpectedly crossed paths with the Dragon-Slayer at the abandoned building to deal with a stray devil, she resolved herself to actually get to know him. Rias knew that he was still upset her and had no reason to trust her; truthfully, she was still quite upset at him. But perhaps if she tried to get to know him, and not see him as a replacement for her lost nephew, she would see more of that side that Sona had hinted at.

"Congratulations on defeating Sona in chess." Rias said as the group entered the abandoned building, figuring that the topic of her friend and rival would be a safe one, "Has she explained to you how chess relates to a devil's peerage?"

"No." Ambrose replied, "We've agreed to keep our private life and her peerage separate."

"That'll be… interesting." Rias said while considering of the intricacy of such a relationship. While devils having a relationship outside of their respective peerages wasn't unheard of, the fact that the Dragon-Slayer sounded as if he didn't plan on becoming a devil and wielded holy magic added an extra layer of complexities.

"I'll be properly introduced to her peerage after I've taken care of the Fallen Angels, but I won't be involved with any of their business." Ambrose explained, "I don't want to undermine her authority as **[King]** , and Sona wants to maintain the proper appearances."

"Fu fu fu, so Sona will be **[King]** of her peerage, but you'll be King of the bedroom?" Akeno teased with a small laugh.

"Something like that." Ambrose replied with an amused smile of his own, but didn't elaborate further.

"Kak Kak Kak." Cackled a voice from the shadows, "I smell something bad. Will it be bitter? Will it be sweet?" She sniffed the air and glared at the Dragon-Slayer, "Or will it be poisonous?"

A topless woman with long dark hair and silver eyes began to step out of the shadows, Rias's peerage instantly raised their guard.

"Stray demon, Visor." Rias addressed the stay devil, "Nefarious beings that run away from their master to fulfill their own desires deserve death for their sins. In the name of Duke Gremory, I'll kick your ass!"

"What an insolent girl." Visor replied with an amused smile."I will cover you in blood as red as your hair; both you and your brother."

"Wait, what?" Ambrose replied in surprise. "What, you think all red heads look alike?"

"We're not siblings." Rias said, quickly shaking her head in denial.

But their protests were cut short as the stray devil fully emerged from the shadows, revealing her large form. Her front legs were in the shape of hands with long red fingernails, her lower body was in the shape of a beast, and she had a snake's head for a tail. Like some sort of exhibitionist, Visor squeezed her breast that had magic circles rotating around her nipples which then shot out twin energy beams that had everyone scrambling.

"Yuuto", Rias commanded.

Yuuto didn't verbally reply, he grabbed his sword and quickly disappeared. He then reappeared in front of Visor, cutting off her front clawed legs which had her reeling back in pain.

Rias watched, surprised that Ambrose's eyes were following her **[Knight]** , "You can see him?"

"He's quite good with a sword." Ambrose commented, "He must practice a lot"

"The sword is his strongest weapon, but as a **[Knight]** , Kiba's trait focuses on speed." Rias clarified.

Visor's lost limbs fell to the ground and she was left staggering on her hind legs in order to maintain her balance. Frustrated, Visor's anger began to mutate her body, her teeth, ears, and eyes grew sharper as her rage continued to build. She roared in fury, and a second mouth within her body, lined with large vertical teeth, opened up like a gaping maw ready to consume the small petite devil who stood in its way.

"Die!" Visor screamed as she clenched her lower jaws shut, completely swallowing Koneko whole.

"Don't worry." Rias explained, "Koneko is a **[Rook]**. Her traits are her tremendous strength and defensive ability. That kind of attack won't even scratch her."

Rias's words were proven true as the diminutive girl pried open the stay devil's large jaws with her bare hands. Koneko's clothes were torn in various places, but she paid it no mine and with a shout of "Begone" she punched Visor into the air breaking several teeth in the process and sending the stray devil crashing through a pillar and onto the floor.

"Akeno." Rias commanded.

"Yes, Buchou." Akeno replied with an excited smile as she approached the fallen stray devil. "Ara, what should I do?"

"Akeno is my **[Queen]**." Rias continued to explain, "The almighty vice commander that combines the powers of all other pieces."

Akeno began to gather her magical strength and lightning began sparking all around her. It built up into a great surge that erupted from Visor's body. The stray devil began to scream in agony.

"On top of that she's a complete sadist." Rias commented, somewhat embarrassingly.

"I wonder how long you can bear it." Akeno shouted in joy as she began to torture the stray for her own pleasure.

Rias then noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and was startled to see the dismembered limb of the stray devil had leapt to attack her. Caught completely off guard, it was only inches away from tearing at her face when suddenly she felt the unmistakable aura of her older brother and the severed limb was blasted away by the Power of Destruction.

" _What The Hell?"_ Rias thought in panic as she saw that the severed limb had not only been destroyed, but it was completely annihilated. _"That was unmistakably the Power of Destruction as well as a Onii-sama aura. How in the nine layers of hell could…. Could it be?"_

Rias turned and gave Ambrose an incredulous look, a look as if she had never really saw him before; but he paid her no mind, his attention was focused on Akeno.

"Does your **[Queen]** play with her food too?" Ambrose asked with a frown as he watched Akeno.

"Akeno, that's enough." Rias said, turning her attention away from Ambrose in order to focus to the task at hand.

"Oh, we're already done?" Akeno said with a smile and blush, "How disappointing."

Rias slowly walked up to the defeated stray devil and asked as she approached, "Any last words?"

"Kill me" was the only reply.

"Then you shall vanish." Rias said and gathered her own magic to unleash her family's signature Power of Destruction on the crushed stray devil. With a bright flash the stray devil Visor had been completely annihilated. Rias turned around to look at her peerage, but her focus was on the Dragon-Slayer who had an inscrutable look on his face.

"Well, that was fun." Akeno commented with a pleased smile. "Shall we head out?"

"Yes…" Rias softly said, not wanting to reveal her suspicions. _"Just who are you, Dragon-Slayer? That was definitely a very powerful demonic aura and you also used the Power of Destruction. Yet yesterday you had the most intense holy aura I've ever felt. I must tell Onii-sama"_ She thought to herself, vowing to solve the mystery of Ambrose Dragon-Slayer.

* * *

Sona silently listened to Rias's account of what had happened the last few days, not just what had happened at the abandoned building. She listened as Rias explained why she had been watching both Ambrose and the Fallen Angel, her friend's motivation behind planning to turn Ambrose into her servant. Sona listened to everything Rias told her and quite honestly felt a little guilty for not even hearing Rias's side of the story until now.

"I see your point." Sona admitted, but gave her friend a stern look, "But you still should have told me about the Fallen Angel. As far as Ambrose goes… That might take some time."

"I know, and I'm sorry." Rias admitted, "But honestly, right now I'm just relieved to have cleared up this terrible misunderstanding. Friends?"

Sona smiled and nodded, feeling satisfied with the answers Rias had given her, "Of course. Was there anything else that happened at the abandoned building?"

"N-no." Rias denied, "Although he did magically patch up Koneko's clothes after the fight, she seemed grateful. Sona… Do you think… do you think you could talk to him? I'd like to be able to get along with him, maybe learn more about him."

"Rias, please tell me you're not coming on to my fiance." Sona replied with a jealous look, "Because there's no way I'm letting that happen."

"No, no!" Rias insisted waving her hands in denial, "Nothing like that."

"Alright." Sona relented with a sigh, "Truth be told, I'd rather my fiance and friends get along. I'll speak to him, but it might take him awhile to come around. He can be a little stubborn when he's already made up his mind about something."

"Thank you. And if there's anything I can do to help smooth things over, please let me know." Rias said after excusing herself and quietly left the student council room.

" _Am-chan has pretty much made up his mind about Rias."_ Sona thought to herself, _"How am I suppose to straighten this out?"_

"Kaichō", Tsubaki said, interrupting her thoughts, "The student council room isn't the best place to handle our project for fixing the fliers. It'll probably take a day or two just to create the solution, and then we'll have to make new fliers and test them..."

"Just pack everything up and I'll take it home with me." Sona said after a moment but then thought to herself, _"Or maybe I'll take it over to Am-chan's house and use his library. That way I can work on this flier problem and wait for him to return from tonight's patrol."_

* * *

Sona appeared in Ambrose's home after training her peerage for the day, carrying not only her research papers for solving 'the flier problem', but every single school book she had; she was determined to take a dose of Osmosis in order to memorize her course books.

Ambrose was currently out on tonight's patrol, hunting Fallen Angels and exorcists. Sona had never been alone in his home before, but he had assured her that she was welcome to come by whenever she wanted, even suggesting that she stay the night when ever she wanted. Truthfully, Sona would completely move in with out hesitation if she felt she could get away with it and it warmed her heart to know that he wanted her near. Still, she and Tsubaki had their own morning ritual where her **[Queen]** would come to her apartment early every weekday morning and they would have breakfast together before heading off to school. If she was suddenly sleeping someplace else then that would raise too many questions.

" _But I think I can get away with one or two nights a week and pop back early enough to keep Tsubaki unaware."_ Sona thought to herself as she climbed the staircase.

Looking around Sona couldn't help marvel at the treasures her fiance had on display, _"Am-chan sure is a collector. It seems he separates his archaeological collection by region on each level."_

The 3rd floor held held a spare bedroom and the music room, it's hallway was lined with 19th century French paintings, vases, and statues. Sona's continued up the stairs, heading to the 4th floor that held two guests rooms and most importantly the library. The hallways of this floor was dedicated to Dropa Stones, ancient stone discs with spiraling hieroglyphs dating back 12,000 years. As impressive as Ambrose's wondrous artifact collections were, the collection of books in his library was by far her favorite.

It was a bibliophile's dream; here in the library was his collection of rare magical books, kept separately from 'normal' books which he kept in living room on the 1st floor. They were old, but well cared for, organized, diverse in topics, very practical, and extremely rare.

" _Am-chan wouldn't have dared to ever take these into the future._ " Sona had thought when she realized she hadn't read or learned from a single one of these treasures.

What amused Sona the most was how he kept his three favorites in a display case by themselves. The topic of these books wasn't something she would have originally thought, in fact it had nothing to do with alchemy what-so-ever. _"Gastronomie Magique"_ [Magical Gastronomy], volumes 1, 2, & 3 was the culmination works of the sorcerer and chef Gérard Beauford who studied 'grande cuisine' under the world's first celebrity chef Marie-Antoine Carême. Carême invented the high art of French cooking and rose from being an abandoned orphan to the most celebrated chef of his time, cooking exclusively for 19th century Parisian high society. His confection creations were rumored to have been legendary. Gérard Beauford was inspired by Carême's work and dedicated his life to not only learning the art of preparing gourmet foods, but applying magic to the preparation and creation of exquisite cuisine and the magical methods used to enhance the food's flavor.

" _Applied magic to creating incredible edible works of art that inspires the imagination and fuels the body."_ Sona thought, _"I can't wait to read and try out the recipes for myself. Am-chan will love what I make for him. Maybe I'll surprise my peerage with a few cakes."_

But those thoughts would have to wait as Sona had more important things to do. The vulnerability of the fliers had to be addressed, and while she did find a solution she had to figure out how to properly insert the 'identification' rune scheme into the flier. Then she and her peerage would have to test it in order to make sure the exploit only worked for Clan Sitri members, and that the fliers only 'requested' a summons like it should for everyone else.

Sona decided to get to work while she waited for her fiance to return from tonight's activities. When he arrived Sona would not only get an update from him, but talk to him about Rias's motives and see if the two could make peace. Soon she lost herself in the process of applying magic in new ways and as the night went by she began to appropriate more and more of the library's table, after having found a number of useful books on the shelves. She had finished the repairs needed in order for the fliers to work as intended, complete with the modifications. She then moved on to creating the 'friendly fire' adaptation so that high level spells wouldn't damage members of her clan. Sona was so focused on her work that she didn't even realize it was past midnight when her fiance suddenly spoke from the door.

"What are you working on?" Ambrose asked leaning against the door frame.

Sona, surprised at his sudden presence, looked up only to gasp in horror as her fiance was covered in blood.

"Am-chan." she began.

"It's alright." Ambrose reassured her, "It's not my blood, and it looks worse than it is."

"What happened?" Sona questioned, leaving the table to inspect him. "You look exhausted."

Ambrose sighed and tiredly rubbed his face, "Well, I've confirmed the exorcists are here and they aren't exactly picky on who they attack. My sensors did their job, so when I registered a magical barrier being erected around a home in the suburbs I went to check it out. The barrier was holy and designed to keep all devils out, but it had no effect on me. I managed to sneak in easily enough, but what I found inside…"

"What?" Sona was almost too afraid to ask.

"A family was butchered, and a rogue exorcist was there who called himself Freed Sellzen. He murdered a couple for trying to summon a devil, then got creative by painting "Punishment of the Wicked" in their own blood on the wall. That _connard_ [bastard] was waiting around for a devil to appear after the summons, but he didn't expect me. He was pretty pissed that all of his fancy holy weapons had no effect on me, but then a nun showed up."

"A nun?" Sona asked.

"Yeah, blonde haired little girl. She saw the carnage and screamed in fright. She's definitely with the rouge exorcists, but I don't think she knew what to expect from their methods. She saw us fighting, the blood, the dead bodies on the floor and quickly ran out of the house screaming. In the confusion Freed managed to jump out of a window an escape. Just spent the last two hours cleaning everything up, can't have the authorities getting suspicious."

"What did you do with the bodies?" Sona wondered.

"Resurrected them. Humans are easy, no stone needed, just a combination of light and dark spells on their remains and..." Ambrose snapped his fingers, "up they come. They were understandibly shaken up about the entire experience. Turns out they were summoning a devil in the hopes of having another child. They told me they actually have a girl who goes to our school, but she'll be graduating next year so they wanted another child despite getting on in the years. In the end, I decided not to wipe their memories, and instead gave them some cash to go on a vacation with their daughter. I figured it was best if they left Kuoh for a few days until this all gets taken care of. If I erased their memories then they might have completely forgotten why they left in the first place and come back early. When they do come back I told them that I'd visit them with a fertility enhancer that should help them have another baby. Nice couple, really."

Sona took a moment to consider all that Ambrose said, she figured that a couple who was resurrected from the dead would be grateful enough not to tell the secret of supernaturals. In honestly, she was a little impressed with her fiance's generosity and abilities.

"That nun sounded out of place." Sona commented aloud, "Isn't there suppose to be a nun who's sacrificed in the abandoned church?"

"That was my thought as well." Ambrose said, "Honestly, I'm tired of chasing these Fallen Angels around, and these exorcists are another matter entirely. Tomorrow night I'm going to storm the abandon church and finish this. In the mean time, I'm going to get cleaned up and get some rest. I'm beat." he finished with a yawn

Sona devilishly smiled as a naughty thought entered her mind, "Let me help you."

* * *

Sona knelt behind her fiance as she began to wash his back.

While all guest rooms in Ambrose's house had their own private bath, the master bedroom had a bath worthy of being called master. It was large enough to be considered an onsen, but decorated in the French style he favored. It reminded Sona that ancient Romans in Europe utilized public baths, but this was a decorative public bath made private.

As she washed the blood away she let her eyes roam across his body, not only appreciating his form but inspecting it for injuries.

"When most people leave a battle with Fallen Angels and exorcists they have some kind of wounds." Sona remarked as she ran the soapy sponge across his shoulder and arms.

"Mmm" Ambrose sleepily replied, "It's because they use light magic, and devils have a weakness against it. If you were going to fight an opponent who's natural weakness was water, you'd be feeling pretty confident too."

Sona thought about that, _"It's no wonder they're so cocky when they fight devils. Their greatest strength is our natural weakness. Worse, devils don't have a singular strength that Angels or Fallen Angels are weak to. We're at a complete disadvantage."_

"I guess they weren't expecting to come across someone who could wield holy magic." Sona commented aloud as she began to rinse him off and wash his hair.

"Oh, it's worse than that for them." Ambrose lightly chucked to himself. "Particle physics states that when two waves superimpose on each other it creates interference. The closer I get to their energy signature, their wavelength and frequency, the more I can mitigate the damage they can do. Throughout our little skirmishes I've managed to memorize their energy signatures, but I haven't used this technique on them yet. They don't know I can use holy magic, they only know it doesn't affect me as much. It pays to be underestimated, and I'm going to surprise them tomorrow."

"Just promise me you'll be careful." Sona said as she put the sponge down and wrapped her arms around her fiance, pressing her naked breasts against his back, "You're exhausted."

"I am exhausted." Ambrose admitted while leaning back into her, "I took a vial of Potent Invigoration Elixir the other day and I haven't slept in over 40 hours."

Sona frowned at that. An Invigoration Elixir was a potion designed to increase one's stamina, give them a bit of extra energy to get through the day. Ambrose, however, improved on this designed and created a Potent Invigoration Elixir, and it was indeed potent. One vial of this altered version gives a person unlimited energy and stamina for 36 hours, after that it wears off over a period of 8 – 10 hours and then the individual will crash in complete exhaustion.

"You need sleep, Am-chan." Sona said as she hugged her naked body against his back.

"Yes, my love." Ambrose acquiesced, "I could definitely use a good night's sleep. I need to be well rested tomorrow."

Sona smiled and whispered in his ear with a suggestion, "Then why don't I wash your front, and then we can see about making some sweet dreams for us both."


	12. Season 1, Chapter 4

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

" _Today is the day."_ Sona thought as she walked to school with her **[Queen]** Tsubaki.

Today was the last day, the last chance she and Ambrose had to find evidence that exposed Kokabiel's planned attack before it happened. Tonight Ambrose would raid the abandoned church and clear out all the Fallen Angels and exorcists. Afterwards there would be the arduous process of interviewing their souls in order to find a confession that would hopefully reveal Kokabiel's plan to steal Excalibur fragments and attempt to assassinate the two little sisters of the Maōs Leviathan and Lucifer.

Both peerages could feel that something big was going to happen, they knew that their safety was dependent on Ambrose's success. Only Sona and Ambrose knew the whole truth; this battle was only that, a battle. What they planned to do was to stop a war that was fated to happen before it ever began. The Great Celestial War that Kokabiel ignites would weaken all three factions and leave them vulnerable to the Khaos Brigade and Ophis, their true enemy. Sona and Ambrose both knew that their biggest chance to prevent that costly war and unite the three factions was to uncover Kokabiel's plot and force the three factions to work together to defeat him. It was their hope that the three factions would then continue to cooperate and later unite against the Khaos Brigade.

The group of Fallen Angels and exorcists in the abandoned church were Kokabiel's scouting party. If Ambrose failed to find the evidence they needed in order to get the Maōs involved, then then Ambrose, Sona, and the Sitri peerage were going to be left on their own when Kokabiel eventually attacked. Sona also knew there would be other Fallen Angels that would fight along side Kokabiel, so she continued to train her peerage for that eventual battle.

" _But if we were forced to fight Kokabiel, perhaps we could have more help than just my peerage… Perhaps if I could figure out a way to get Rias out of her engagement..."_ Sona privately mused.

Sona hadn't forgotten that her friend Rias had a tragic fate in store for her. From the testimony of Sona's future self, Rias was due to marry Riser Phenix and suffer an ignoble end. The male members of her peerage would mysteriously disappear, her **[Rook]** Koneko would become a free piece, and both Rias and Akeno would disappear from public life. Sona could piece together what all that meant; Riser would murder Rias's male servants in order to use Rias's peerage as an extension of his own harem. In an effort to save the rest of her servants, Rias would release Koneko as a **[Free Piece]** but Akeno would be unwilling to abandon Rias and would choose to suffer alongside her.

While Rias's peerage was small and inexperienced, Sona believed that they might be able to provide some assistance when Kokabiel eventually attacked. Sona believed in Ambrose and knew that he could handle Kokabiel, but she did not want him to take on all the burdens on his own. She already felt guilty that they were forced to stay away during these skirmishes while Ambrose fought the Fallen Angel scouts in their stead. While the Maōs would be upset if the devils of Kuoh got into small fights with Fallen Angel foot soldiers, it would be a completely different matter when the devils had to fight for their lives when one of the leaders of the Grigori would eventually attack. If they were unable to find the evidence they needed and Kokabiel and his followers came to restart the war, Sona would make damn sure that her servants were prepared and that they would not suffer the same fate that her future-self had recounted.

Going up against any holy magic was a difficult prospect for a devil, and Kokabiel was a cadre class Fallen Angel who would have an unknown amount of followers ready to fight along side of him. Sona hoped that by having Rias and her peerage stand along side her would help tip the scales in their favor. She only hoped sparing Rias from her engagement would not bring about that other horrible fate; the fate that was told to her by her Onee-sama in the future. Serafall Leviathan had given her own account where Rias was assassinated by Kokabiel, martyred and was the catalyst for the beginning of the Second Great Celestial War.

While Sona didn't like that her friend had kept her ignorant of the Fallen Angels or her attempt to snatch Ambrose away from her, she wasn't about to let Rias get martyred or married over it; especially considering they had larger things to worry about than Rias's spoiled nature. Even though Sona could understand the motives and desperation behind Rias's actions, that didn't mean she approved of them. While their friendship wasn't completely repaired, Sona was glad that it had been somewhat mended; and with that in mind she invited Rias to join her for lunch.

There was still a bit of tension between the two of them. The last time both **[King]** s and **[Queen]** s were in the student council room for lunch it was a one way shouting match.

"Ambrose is going to the abandoned church tonight." Sona said as the four girls ate their meals. "He's requested that both peerages stay away."

"Shouldn't we help him?" Rias apprehensively asked.

" _Didn't I just say we should stay away?"_ Sona irritably thought.

"He'll be fine." Sona replied, trying to hide the annoyance from her voice. "He explained that they're not that dangerous to him since he can wield holy magic. Their strongest attacks don't really phase him. And the Grigori will no doubt want to investigate the abandoned church after today, we can't have our energy signatures present."

"Alright… I'll have my peerage stay inside the Occult Research Club tonight. Have… have you spoken to him yet?" Rias nervously asked, "About our misunderstanding?"

"Not yet, he needs to stay focused on tonight's task." Sona replied, a bit annoyed that her friend was asking more about her fiance than the threat of the Fallen Angels. "You should probably take this time to train your peerage. I've been hearing rumors."

"Oh? What rumors." Rias curiously asked.

"Riser is pushing for an early marriage." Sona said, which caught Rias off guard.

"It-It's not suppose to happen until after I graduate." Rias worriedly said, "And I had planned to attend college."

Sona shook her head negative. "I'm not sure you'll even have a month before he comes."

Rias put her chopsticks down, her appetite had vanished.

"If your peerage was complete, you could challenge him to a rating game." Sona suggested in an attempt to motivate her friend.

"I'm afraid my peerage is too small and doesn't have enough training to take on a Phenix." Rias sadly replied, "I don't have very many options."

" _You had years to train, Rias."_ Sona couldn't help but think to herself, _"And I always gave you first pick of Kuoh's students, yet you haven't turned a single one. Every member of your peerage was laid before your feet. You knew this was coming, yet you've done nothing. You're still doing nothing, nothing but complaining."_

Sona sighed, "You could always squirrel some money away and live in the human world." she offered as a solution, while trying not letting her irritation show.

Renouncing her family and obligations would be considered shameful in devil society and Rias would definitely be disowned, but Sona figured that this would be better for Rias than actually going through with the marriage.

" _That would remove Rias from the Riser situation entirely, and if Rias and her peerage stayed in touch I could call upon her to assist with Kokabiel."_ Sona reasoned. _"She might even gain some of her lost honor after the battle."_

"Believe me, I thought of that. My family would find me and drag me to the altar." Rias sadly replied. "Do you think… do you think the Dragon-Slayer could help?"

Sona make a doubtful face, "I'll ask him but I can't promise he'll agree. You're not exactly his favorite person."

Rias nodded sadly and looked down before something caught her attention. "Sona, that doesn't look like your usual lunch. What is that?"

Sona blushed and replied, "A strawberry spinach salad with a side of almond crusted flounder."

"Ara, did 'Ambrose' make that for you?" Akeno teased while putting emphasis on Sona's fiance's name.

"It's nothing special." Sona deflected while trying to avoid admitting that her fiance made her lunch after she had spent the night with him.

"Can I have a bite?" Rias asked with a grin.

"No." Sona strongly answered, pulling her bento closer as the other girls giggled at her reaction.

* * *

While Rias was going to hide her peerage away within the walls of the Occult Research Club, Sona knew that tactic was going to backfire when Kokabiel attacked. Her future self had recounted how she had done something similar when the envoys of the church arrived.

" _Staying put will be suicide,"_ Sona thought, _"but spreading out means that we won't be able to aid one another."_

With that in mind, Sona felt it was time to introduce her own contribution to the new timeline; the modification to the summoning fliers. After school Sona had gathered her peerage in the student council room and told them that today they were going to play a game, Hide and Seek. After weeks of intense training, her peerage seemed quite pleased to have a break while also doing something constructive and fun. The goal of the game was to first use and practice the **[Locate]** asset of the fliers by sending a magical pulse so that her peerage could find one another. Sona and Reya had picked up the technique quite easily with Tsubaki and Momo shortly after. Tsubasa was the next to learn, proving that she had more talent in magic than one might have thought, but Tomoe, Ruruko, and Saji struggled for a bit. Eventually Tomoe and Ruruko picked it up; however, after a few hours Saji was unable to learn the **[Locate]** technique.

Sona felt disappointed in Saji's lack of progress; while he was still her newest servant he had yet to show any magical talent. Furthermore, his physical training was often interrupted by his own complaints but that only forced Sona to push him harder. Sona knew she was strict with her peerage, and most likely stricter than normal since she returned to the future, but she never asked anything of them that she wouldn't have done herself. Truthfully, she had been training alongside her peerage every day, in an effort to encourage them to improve.

" _You'd think that by having the Black Dragon King Vritra for a **[Sacred Gear]** meant a bit more than a chameleon that ties things up with its tongue."_ Sona thought, _"It's kind of a creepy ability."_

Despite Saji's lack of progress, Sona continued on to the second part of their training. The **[Transport]** that allowed them to either transport to their teammate or transport their teammate to them via the flier. Sona paired everyone up, ensuring that her **[Queen]** and two **[Bishop]** s were paired with the less magically inclined, and sent them out into the city to practice 'forceful summoning' or **[Transport]** to their partner. Sona found the concept easier than she imagined, similar to teleporting to answer a flier summons. Tsubaki, Momo, and Reya quickly learned how to **[Transport]** to individuals and have them **[Transport]** to them. Just for fun, her and her three magic wielding servants started trading partners back and forth, though Saji got a little sick with being teleported around the city in quick successions. Through out the entire day and into the night her peerage attempted to travel to one another.

Despite her peerage's enthusiasm with learning a new ability in the form of playing a game for training, Sona couldn't help but be apprehensive.

" _So much is riding on tonight's events."_ Sona couldn't help but think, _"And we're still stuck preparing. I hope we can make it work in the end. Everything, literally everything is riding on our success and we can't afford to make a mistake."_

* * *

It was 2 am and Sona was pacing around her apartment.

" _He's hasn't texted me."_ She anxiously thought, _"It shouldn't have taken him this long to clear out a church. I've seen him face far worse than Fallen Angels."_

Sona felt completely helpless, she desperately wanted to travel to the church to aid Ambrose, but knew that she couldn't. The Grigori would no doubt do an 'unofficial' investigation after tonight's events and there could be no trace of any devil's presence, they could not be implicated.

She tried to distract herself. At first she sat down to do her homework, but after magically memorizing her school books via 'Osmosis' her homework took her less than 10 minutes to complete. She couldn't sleep and was too anxious to read, her eyes kept drifting towards the clock which seemed frozen.

" _That's it, I'm just going to go over his house to wait for him."_ Sona thought and magically transported herself to Ambrose's home.

As Sona appeared in the foyer she saw something she wasn't expecting. Ambrose was staring at her, wide eyed and in surprise, as he magically carried a dead corpse in a body bag.

"What… what happened?" Sona asked in alarm.

"A lot, but this is the last one. I was just about to text you." Ambrose said, "Let me put this in the basement."

Desperate for answers, Sona followed him to the basement. She paid no mind that his basement was filled with wine barrels and thousands of bottles of wine. Her attention was focused on a second corpse which was already on the floor and a large black cross with chains wrapped around it.

"There, that's the last of it." Ambrose said while scratching his head, "It's just… I can't believe it."

"What happened?" Sona questioned again. "Who are these people?"

"One of them is Asia Argento, the nun that we were told about; the same one who ran away from the murder scene last night. The Fallen Angels used her for a truly sick ritual. The other is Issei Hyoudou."

"Hyoudou?" Sona said in shock, "Oh Maō. Am-chan, you can resurrect them, right?"

"I can, but you need to know the entire situation." Ambrose replied, "You have a choice to make."

"What are you talking about, what choice?" Sona insistently asked.

"Let's go to my lab." Ambrose suggested, "It's probably the best place to start."

Sona felt frustrated with the lack of answers as Ambrose lead her up to his lab on the 2nd floor. She had to remind herself that the answers would eventually come, she couldn't be impatient and demanding.

However, whatever patience she had built up was discarded the moment they entered her fiance's lab. There was a very large block of everlasting ice, but what immediately caught her eye was a pair of rings and a gauntlet on a pedestal that was suspended behind wards.

"Is that **[Sacred Gear]**?" Sona questioned aloud. "Ambrose..."

"Right, here." Ambrose said, handing her a vial of Potent Invigoration Elixir. "It's going to be a long night, you'll need this."

Sona frowned at the vial but never the less drank it, immediately feeling rejuvenated with energy and stamina.

"Ack!" She choked as a bitter earthy aftertaste filled her mouth, "Can't you make it taste any better?"

"Are you complaining?" Ambrose teased with a smile.

Sona was in no mood and gave her fiance a look that he had best get to his explanation before her patience ran out.

"Alright, the whole thing started out simple enough." Ambrose began, "There was a lone Fallen Angel standing out as a sentry, and that exorcist Freed was also standing guard inside the church. I managed to surprise the sentry, but Freed fled the scene after a short fight. With the church cleared, I began searching and found a secret chamber that led to the church's catacombs, that's where things got really crazy. That large cross that was downstairs is a **[Sacred Gear]** extractor. They had already used it on the nun, and had just finished using it on Hyoudou. The whole process is pretty gruesome."

"It tears open a soul." Ambrose explained, looking quite green at the concept, "Completely shreds it so that someone can rip out an individual's **[Sacred Gear]**. While a soul can repair itself over a period of time, there's no way it can continue to survive in a living body during this process."

"Oh Maō." Sona said, putting her hands over her mouth in shock.

"These are the **[Sacred Gear]** s that were extracted." Ambrose said, gesturing to the gauntlet and ring. "This ring has some sort of healing ability, the Fallen Angel I killed seemed to take great delight in healing whatever wounds I gave her. She couldn't heal a severed head, so there appears to be some limitations to it. However, this one..." Ambrose said, gesturing to the red gauntlet. "This is Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor. Ddraig, this is Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri Clan."

" **Greetings, Lady Sitri.** " The gauntlet replied as the green jewel within it glowed in response to its voice.

Sona was shocked, not only at being in the presence of the Red Dragon Emperor, but that the gauntlet was self aware despite having been forcefully removed from its host. Never the less, she quickly remembered her manners. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Ddraig has been helping me understand some tonight's events. It seems that Hyoudou had met this rogue nun, Asia Argento, earlier today. Despite Hyoudou's perverted nature, the two formed a quick friendship. What Asia failed to mention to Hyoudou was that she was currently in hiding. Apparently she had not only ran out of the house after the murder last night but ran away from the Fallen Angels entirely. When they came to collect her, they discovered Hyoudou and decided to take them both. It seems as if Asia was bought here under false pretenses. The plan was that the Fallen Angels were to extract her **[Sacred Gear]** , keep it for themselves, and then have you and Rias take the blame. Hyoudou was an unexpected bonus."

"Oh Maō." Sona said in shock, "That's why the authorities thought it was a satanic ritual. The Fallen Angels were hiding the fact that they were extracting **[Sacred Gear]** so that they, themselves, could use it. A Fallen Angel with **[Sacred Gear]**? It's unheard of."

Ambrose nodded in agreement.

"That device has to be destroyed." Sona insisted, "If my people ever found out about it, then there would be some who would seek to learn that technique and begin hunting humans for **[Sacred Gear]** of their own."

"Actually, it would be best if all devils avoid turning humans who wield **[Sacred Gear]** s." Ambrose somberly replied, "You see, this is the first time I've come across another **[Sacred Gear]** , it's even rarer considering that these two are standing alone without their hosts. I've discovered something terrible, remember that soul crushing technique that I used on Raynare?"

"I do." Sona replied, but in a manner that stated _"How could I forget that?"_

"What you saw that day was based off of an ancient Chinese torture technique that I learned from a historical document. But what I did was actually quite a bit toned down from the original method." Ambrose began explaining, while leading her to an ancient book on a table. "This is where I learned it from. This book tells a story that happened over 5,000 years ago during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Sun Hai. Sun Hai discovered that when you inflict an excessive amount of pain on a living body the individual's soul would curl up in on itself and actually crystallize. It's a horrible technique, torture beyond torture. He would take this crystal and implant it inside of a clay golem which would not only come alive, but follow his every command. The soul would remember the intense pain and be completely obedient to not only Sun Hai but any force he commanded. He recognized the 'potential' for this immediately and ordered the creation of a machine that would mass produce the soul crystals he needed to create an unstoppable army that would follow any command he gave with out hesitation. He sent tens of thousands of slaves and prisoners to be tortured, crystallized their souls, and turned them into his golem army. The very dissidents who threatened his rule became his obedient army."

"And you used this technique?" Sona astonishingly asked.

"What I used was a toned down version." Ambrose explained, "I wasn't causing nearly enough pain to force a soul to crystallize, only enough to slightly compress it. So long as the soul remains incorporeal it will always reform over time, so I never applied enough pressure to force it to crystallize and become corporeal. Hyoudou and Argento were under excruciating pain as their souls were torn open but their souls will reform in the realm of the dead. The amount of pain one has to endure for a soul to crystallize is beyond comprehension."

"What does this have to do with **[Sacred Gear]**?" Sona asked, feeling quite horrified at all of this.

"Everything!" Ambrose exclaimed, "While my torture technique is a toned down version of Sun Hai's process for crystallizing souls, the creation of **[Sacred Gear]** s is a more advanced version of crystallizing a soul, extremely advanced. What you saw me do was like seeing a mineral vein in a mountain and poking it. Sun Hai created a method that not only chisels the mineral from the mountain but 'smelts' it into a crystallized form. The creation of **[Sacred Gear]** s is taking a soul, crystallizing it into a corporeal form, and then literally forging it into a weapon. Instead of just crystallizing it, the soul is 'reheated' and folded in on itself over and over, just like a blacksmith would when making a sword. It's far beyond what Sun Hai ever did, I can't even begin to imagine the kind of pain a soul would have to endure."

" **When an individual** **experiences** **such an overwhelming amount of pain, the consciousness shuts down completely.** " Ddraig spoke up, **"It's no wonder I can barely remember my past before becoming a [Sacred Gear].** "

"Can you imagine? This is the actions of the Biblical God, this is what the Old Deus was doing to those who would challenge him." Ambrose explained, "Not only was he completely annihilating his enemies, but he was torturing their very souls and forging them into weapons. Weapons that could never be used against him."

"What?" Sona asked in astonishment.

"Remember, the golems were completely enslaved to Sun Hai. He created them specifically so he could have an army that would never turn against him. Devils have been scooping up **[Sacred Gear]** wielders since they could turn them into devils with the invention of **[Evil Pieces]**. Your people saw this act as a chance to take **[Sacred Gear]** s away from humans and Heaven so that they could become weapons for your people. But Heaven hasn't so much as protested, have they?"

"They're useless!" Sona realized with dawning horror. "They were made by the biblical God and the System he created. Because they were created using this technique all **[Sacred Gear]** s are useless if they're used to attack Heaven. They're not only a part of the System, but enslaved to it. They can't rebel at all. Devils have been recruiting weapons that were useless against Heaven all this time."

Ddraig spoke up, " **It is possible to rebel against the** **S** **ystem.** "

"You're both right." Ambrose said, "In Sun Hai's time they were doing this to prisoners and slaves. But they also discovered that the stronger the individual was, the stronger the golem could be. They used clay golems for the average soul, but when they found stronger souls they discovered they could create larger golems, jade golems and siege golems that were 30 feet high. His armies began scouring the country in order to find the strongest humans they could, but one day they found a soul they couldn't control. A savage bandit, a murderer and rapist who lived out in the wilds and refused to be ruled by anyone. When they tortured him, crystallized his soul, and implanted it into a jade golem the rebellious spirit would not obey. It rampaged through the fortress, tore the machine to pieces, and killed everyone there so that it could never be rebuilt. The entire building collapsed on his cursed form and crushed it completely."

"So it's possible that a **[Sacred Gear]** could break free and rebel against the System?" Sona asked.

"It would take an unruly individual, something truly savage and beyond the ability to control. If such a being were turned into a **[Sacred Gear]** then it's theoretically possible they could rebel, but it would be completely beyond anyone's ability to control, even its host. Aside from that, every **[Sacred Gear]** is useless against Heaven and the System." Ambrose replied.

" **It's happened before.** " Ddraig spoke up, " **Long ago there was one who refused to be enslaved. The** **Black Dragon King Vritra** **refused to be a mere tool for his human host. He rebelled and completely tore at his host's mind, destroying** **him** **completely, and took over his body. We** **Dragon** **[Sacred Gear]** **s** **have the ability of [Dragonfication],** **the ability** **to change our host's bodies** **so they** **can** **be better suited to wield** **our power. I have used this technique a few times, but only to grant my partner additional power in times of** **great** **need. Vitra completely consumed his host, destroying the human's mind and** **completely** **changed his body. Enraged at** **Heaven for turning him into a tool to be used** **, Vitra began destroying everything on Earth so that Heaven would descend and Vitra could have his vengeance. My human partner at the time could not allow** **the slaughter of innocent humans to continue.** **I** **n a very rare** **event,** **he joined forces with the host of** **my rival,** **the White Dragon Emperor, and together** **they** **fought and defeated Vitra. When Vitra's crystallized soul returned to** **H** **eaven the Biblical God smashed his soul into 4 pieces** **as a warning to the rest of the [Sacred Gear]s** **and sent the** **pieces of Vitra's** **broken** **soul** **back into the** **S** **ystem to be reincarnated into other [Sacred Gear] wielders.** "

"Saji." Sona realized, "Saji, my **[Pawn]** has a piece of the Black Dragon King."

" **If that is true then you must be careful.** " Ddraig warned as the gauntlet glowed, " **The soul of Vitra will always crave to be made whole once more. Every wielder of** **the Black Dragon King has sought to fight one another** **in order** **to gain every piece for himself.** **As your** **[Pawn]** **grows in strength he will** **unconsciously begin to search for other pieces, and he will obsessively search for them once he's made aware of their existence. The other wielders of the Black Dragon King will** **undoubtedly** **seek out your [Pawn], for they too wish for Vitra's power to be made whole once more,** **yet only for t** **heir own selfish reasons** **.** **It is an all consuming desire for each of Vitra's hosts to unite the pieces of the Black Dragon King's soul,** **but this desire is a trap** **.** **If any of them ever succeed** **then** **the soul of Vitra** **would** **be made whole once more.** **Vitra** **will consume the spirit of his host, destroying it completely and rampage across the world** **once more** **.** "

" _Saji"_ , Sona worriedly thought, _"By training him to become stronger, I've also been training his **[Sacred Gear]**. The stronger he gets, the more danger he'll be in, both to himself and to the rest of the peerage. What am I going to do?"_

"If Vitra, or some other **[Sacred Gear]** did as you said, rebelled against their host and the host won the struggle, what would happen?" Ambrose unexpectedly asked.

" **Such a thing has never happened before.** " Ddraig explained as if in thought, " **But if it were possible, if a human could destroy the spirit of a [Sacred Gear] as it attempted to take over its host's body then that human would become to true possessor of that power. It would cease to be [Sacred Gear] and the power** **would truly belong to** **that individual** **. But I don't believe such a human could ever exist.** "

" _The biblical God. The Old Deus."_ Sona thought in astonishment, _"He tried something similar to **[Dragonfication]**. But instead of turning Am-chan into a dragon, the Old Deus tried to turn him into a God. That's what happened to Am-chan. He must have been worried that he wasn't truly free of His influence."_

" **All this talk has made me tired.** " Ddraig said, " **But before I rest, tell me. What will happen to me now?** "

"I'm not sure." Ambrose admitted, "I could send you back to the System, but that might be a waste. If Hyoudou is going to be resurrected then you'll have to be apart of him when I do it. That being said, he and Argento will still be in danger if I do resurrect them and I don't have the time to protect or train them. I was thinking that Sona might want to have you team up with a member of her peerage."

"What?" Sona said in shock.

"We're going to need all the help we can get." Ambrose suggested, "I'm not sure what I want to do, so I wanted your input."

"I-I don't know." Sona replied, feeling a bit unsure about the whole thing. _"There's just too much unexpected information."_

" **Very well, it's not as if I have a choice in the matter.** " Ddraig replied.

"What do you want to do?" Sona curiously asked Ddraig.

" **Hosts come, and hosts go.** " Ddraig dismissively replied, " **But something tells me that this is an interesting place to be. If I had a choice, I would choose to be partnered with someone here** **rather then go back to the System** **.** **I don't care w** **hether it's with one of your peerage or that little pervert.** **Of course, I could always be paired with you, Dragon-Slayer.** "

"You're the Red Dragon Emperor, and I'm the Dragon-Slayer. I'm not sure we'd get along." Ambrose replied, unwilling to mention the **[Master Key]**.

" **Pity,** **I think '** **The Red Dragon-Emperor' and the 'Crimson Haired Dragon-Slayer'** **sounds like** **a formidable team.** " Ddraig said in disappointment, " **But if you do partner me up with that pervert, tell him not to use 'the stranger' technique again.** "

"The Stranger?" Sona asked looking at her fiance, "What's that?"

Ambrose shrugged with a confused look.

" **Nothing, nothing.** " Ddraig quickly insisted, " **Just something between** **my** **former host** **and** **me** **.** "

Ambrose activated a new set of wards around Ddraig, which dimmed the light surrounding it, and he then placed a glass container over the gauntlet.

" _Probably doesn't want the Red Dragon Emperor to listen in."_ Sona thought to herself, _"Maō, I never expected all this. I can't believe **[Sacred Gear]** s are worthless against Heaven. Which is probably why Heaven never protested against Devils turning **[Sacred Gear]** wielders. It's a weapon that would only be a threat to Fallen Angels… or other Devils. Is that why they never denounced our actions, they wanted us to keep fighting each other?"_

A sudden startling thought entered Sona's mind. "Am-chan, if the soul crystals prevented the golems from disobeying or even attacking Sun Hai and the forces he commanded, and the **[Sacred Gear]** s are unable to fight against Heaven, does that mean that you're immune to all the attacks of **[Sacred Gear]** s since you're the inheritor of the Biblical God's power and have the **[Master Key]**?"

"I- I don't know." Ambrose said as his eyes widened in shock, "I've never fought against anyone wielding a **[Sacred Gear]** until today. That female Fallen Angel, Kalawarner, had those rings that heals people. I think she might have called it **[Twilight Healing]** , but I'm definitely sure she wasn't going to heal me with it. As far as Ddraig goes, he was never used. I killed Dohnaseek, the Fallen Angel it was meant for, before he had a chance to use it."

"Until we know for sure we had best keep this theory to ourselves." Sona suggested.

"Let's keep everything regarding the **[Master Key]** to ourselves." Ambrose reminded her, "We don't want the factions to have a new toy to fight over. In the meantime, we have to warn the Maōs. They have to be made aware that the **[Sacred Gear]** s are useless against the forces of Heaven."

"I think they might already know." Sona admitted after thinking it through, "None of the Maōs have servants in their peerage who wield **[Sacred Gear]** s. As coveted as devils make **[Sacred Gear]** s out to be, that can't be a coincidence."

" _More secrets, Onee-sama?_ " Sona thought, remembering how the Maōs also knew about the death of the Biblical God.

"Why wouldn't they tell anyone?" Ambrose wondered.

"I don't know." Sona replied shaking her head.

The thought of **[Sacred Gear]** s brought Sona's mind back to Saji and the problem she now had with him. Her **[Pawn]** was the weakest member of her peerage, and it seemed as if it was in everyone's best interest if he stayed that way.

" _After spending so long trying to encourage him to improve, could I actually handicap him for his own good?"_ Sona thought, uncomfortable with the prospect.

Sona had always believed that with hard work and determination an individual could find a hidden potential within themselves.

" _But what happens with that hidden potential leads to their own destruction?"_ She wondered, not finding an answer.

"Well, there's one more thing we have to talk about before we start interviewing the three dead Fallen Angels." Ambrose said, interrupting Sona's thoughts as he gestured to a large block of everlasting ice. "I found this guy sneaking around as I was cleaning up the scene."

"What? There's a person in there?" Sona asked as she approached the large chunk of ice to look inside.

A gentle looking young man with green hair was frozen with a terrified look on his face.

She gasped in astonishment at who she saw, "That's Diodora Astaroth!"

"You know him?" Ambrose asked.

"He's the nephew of Maō Ajuka Beelzebub!" Sona said in astonishment, "What was he doing on Earth, let alone at an abandoned church in Kuoh?"

"When I asked him he said he wanted Argento, he even tried to bribe me." Ambrose replied, "It was odd enough that a devil would show up at an abandoned church, but after the ritual and everything else I thought it best to take him and get some answers."

"Yes, we definitely have to get some answers from him, but we have to do it carefully." Sona insisted, "Diodora is politically connected. I'm not sure how close he is to Maō Beelzebub, but we have to be delicate."

"Right." Ambrose said as if he had just reached a decision, "He might be missed if we keep him for too long, so we'll interview him first. Since he's alive we can use truth serum instead of the orb. If we're satisfied with his answers we'll wipe his memory and let him go."

"What can I do to help?" Sona offered.

"I'll restrain him and give him his 'medicine'." Ambrose said, "You can interrogate him, as a fellow high-class devil you might be able think of some questions I won't."

Sona nodded and watched as Ambrose shattered the block of ice with a touch of his index finger. Diodora Astaroth collapsed onto the floor, curled up and shivering as ice spilled all around him. Ambrose wasted no time, he grabbed Diodora by the color, put three drops of a clear liquid down his throat, and placed him in the same magical seal that Raynare had previously been in.

"That wasn't delicate." Sona frowned at her fiance.

"If he's no threat then we're going to wipe his memory, so there's no harm." Ambrose replied with a shrug, "And if he is a threat then it doesn't matter. I wasn't delicate, but I wasn't rough either.

"Honestly, Am-chan..." Sona said with a roll of her eyes.

She watched as Diodora Astaroth slowly begin to warm up; however, Sona noticed that his eyes were glazed over and seemed completely unresponsive.

"He's ready." Ambrose said, noticing the same effects, "Go ahead and start questioning him. It's best to start with an easy one, so ask him his name."

Sona approached the barrier which held a fellow high class devil and relative to a Maō. "What is your name?"

"Diodora Astaroth." he listlessly replied.

"Why were you in the abandoned church?" Sona questioned.

"To find my Asia." Diodora replied in the same monotone voice.

"Your Asia?" Sona asked.

"My Asia." Diodora confirmed.

"You have to ask a specific question." Ambrose suggested, "He'll answer anything truthfully, but he won't volunteer information."

Sona nodded and continued her questioning. "Why do you want Asia Argento?"

"So she can join my peerage." Diodora replied, "So she can join my collection."

Sona looked at Ambrose, silently asking for help but he shrugged, appearing just as confused.

"What do you mean, your collection?" Sona inquired.

"My peerage is made up of holy nuns who I seduced. The church would throw them away and I would be there to save them. They become apart of my collection."

"Why would you want to convert nuns into devils?" Sona wondered aloud, but received an answer.

"So I can rape them, so I can see the despair on their faces as they lose everything. It's amusing." Diodora replied with the same flatness in his voice.

Both Ambrose and Sona were revolted and unconsciously drew away from Diodora and his unexpected reply. As Sona looked at the gentle looking young man she reminded herself that you could never trust the motivations behind anyone.

"How did you know Asia would be at the abandoned church?" Sona continued to question.

"Kokabiel told me."

" _Jackpot."_ Sona thought.

"Why would Kokabiel tell you?" Sona questioned.

"I traded him for the information."

"What did you give Kokabiel in exchange for Asia's location?" Sona continued.

"The location of three Excalibur fragments from the church."

"Do you know what Kokabiel plans to use them for?" Sona asked

"No."

Sona frowned at the answer, _"He doesn't know about the upcoming attack."_

"How did you know the location of three Excalibur fragments?" Sona asked, _"The church would guard their location from devils, how would he know where they're located?"_

"Maō Beelzebub told me."

"What? Why would Ajuka Beelzebub tell you where three Excalibur fragments were located?" Sona wondered aloud.

Diodora replied, "Not Ajuka, Shalba Beelzebub."

Ambrose gasped in surprise and delight, but Sona wanted to confirm for herself.

"Are you a member of the Khaos Brigade?" Sona hurriedly asked.

"Yes."

Sona's questioning was interrupted by Ambrose who started celebrating, she quickly shushed him but honestly felt excited enough to join him.

"Why did you betray your uncle Ajuka?" Sona wondered, never imagining that a relative of a Maō would be guilty of treason. _"_ _But I shouldn't be surprised."_ She reminded herself, _"It was family against family in the devil civil war. There will no doubt be members of the Old Satan Faction_ _and Khaos Brigade_ _within the current government."_

"Ajuka is a false Maō. He shames all devils by allowing trash to join us pure-bloods, they should remain low born commoners. He shames his former family by keeping the secrets of **[Evil Pieces]** hidden from us. Shalba-sama believes in me, he believes in the purity of the devils."

"Can you identify other members of the Khaos Brigade." Sona asked.

"Yes."

"How many?" Sona demanded, but received no answer. "How many?!"

But Diodora Astaroth began to shake his head, his eyes began to clear.

"He's coming to." Ambrose said, "Let me freeze him before he realizes where he is."

Sona nodded and watched as Ambrose froze Diodora in a block of everlasting ice.

They were both quiet for a moment, before Ambrose suddenly wrapped his arms around her and spun her around, laughing.

"We did it!" he excitedly said.

Sona, while shocked at first, laughed in return and wrapped her arms around him. "We did it and more. It was enough to get a confession about the Excalibur fragments and Kokabiel, that should get the three factions talking. But this? Proof of the Khaos Brigade!"

"You've got to take him to the Maōs." Ambrose said, "Diodora has to be delivered quickly and quietly before anyone starts asking questions."

"I'll have Tsubaki gather a few members of my peerage and we'll head to the Underworld." Sona replied, "Will he hold in ice?"

"Oh yes." Ambrose insisted, "Your sister should be able to break him out."

Sona nodded in satisfaction and checked the time. It was still very early, but this was far too important to wait.

"What do you want to do about the **[Sacred Gear]** s?" Ambrose reminded her.

"I don't want them." Sona asserted, "I already have one **[Sacred Gear]** wielder who's just become a liability. While I don't believe Tsubaki's **[Sacred Gear]** is a threat to her, I'm hesitant to have any more in my peerage since we discovered that they're useless against Heaven. Who knows what other secrets they have." Sona reasoned.

"I've always found that power freely given comes with the highest cost." Ambrose said, alluding to his experience with the **[Master Key]**.

Considering what she had learned about Saji and Vitra, as well as [Dragonfication], Sona couldn't help but agree.

Sona frowned in thought, "If Hyoudou is going to go to school tomorrow with out anyone being suspicious, then he'll have to be resurrected."

"Not sure if that's a good idea." Ambrose hesitantly replied, "School, I mean. If you're not going to use these two **[Sacred Gear]** s in your peerage then I'd rather resurrect them and set them up with a new life somewhere else. We can't protect them, and they still might have people hunting them. Perhaps it's best if everyone thinks they're dead and we just hide them somewhere else."

Sona didn't like that idea, the thought of having any student die while she was president of the student council didn't sit well with her.

" _But perhaps..."_ Sona thought while bracing herself for a very difficult conversation.

"I think we should give them to Rias."

"Gremory?!" Ambrose asked in astonishment, "Why the hell would we do that?"

"Listen, I had a talk with her. While I don't approve of what she did to either of us, I don't believe there was any malice behind her intentions." Sona explained. "She's a spoiled, pampered, and her entire family has overindulged her, but she's not an evil person."

"Oh? Is she sorry for trying to turn me against my will?" Ambrose asked with a frown.

"Yes, she said she was." Sona insisted.

"Then why did I catch her and Akeno skulking around the abandoned church tonight like vultures looking for a corpse?" Ambrose rhetorically asked.

"What?" Sona exclaimed in shock, "I told her to stay away from the abandoned church."

"Well, she didn't listen." He replied, "One of the reasons I was so late was because I had to saturate the entire area in holy energy to try to mask her presence. I had to do it a second time after I found Diodora Astaroth."

" _Damn it, Rias."_ Sona thought to herself, _"You just had to be the stubborn spoiled princess and not listen to me."_

"I know you don't trust her, but I still think we should give them to Rias." Sona insisted, "Even though we have proof of Kokabiel's plan to steal Excalibur fragments, it doesn't implicate him in his plot to attack Kuoh. The Maōs have enough to start talking with the other two factions, but we can't tell them that he's coming here with out revealing our foreknowledge."

"But Rias won't be here to help either." Ambrose reminded her, "You know what fate she has in store for her, she's going to be married soon."

"Look, I'm not happy with Rias right now." Sona explained, "I hate how she tried to turn you against your will. I feel betrayed that she didn't warn me about the Fallen Angel presence here. And I'm very disappointed that she didn't heed my warning and went to the abandoned church. But Riser Phenix is the worst womanizer I've ever seen, he's the enemy of all women. I don't want to see my friend broken when it's in my ability to help her."

"Is it in your ability to help her?" Ambrose asked, "Or rather, is it in Asia's and Issei's ability to help her? I've fought a Phenix before, they're not to be taken lightly. Asia's **[Twilight Healing]** seems to be able to heal a lot of wounds, but it can't regrow a severed head. A Phenix can! In order to beat one you have to either completely over power it or out smart it. Do you really want to resurrect these two, only to throw them in Phenix Fire?"

Sona frowned, _"Am-chan does have a point. I want to help Rias get out of her engagement but it isn't right that I give her these two young humans who have suffered enough. Do I really have the right to decide?"_

* * *

A compromise is a settlement of differences by mutual agreement.

" _Most often a settlement that neither person is happy with."_ Sona thought to herself as she sat across from Issei Hyoudou and Asia Argento at the dining room table; she and Ambrose were currently eating breakfast with the newly resurrected pair.

Hyoudou and Argento were understandably shaken up after last night's traumatic event, but quite grateful to be alive. Being a member of the church with a **[Sacred Gear]** meant that Asia Argento had been aware of supernaturals. Issei Hyoudou was quite shocked, but took it rather well.

" _Though when you have your soul ripped open by Fallen Angels while chained to a cross, the existence of devils and sorcerers shouldn't come as too big of a surprise after you'_ _v_ _e_ _been_ _resurrected the next morning."_ Sona pragmatically mused.

"Thank you for saving us both." Hyoudou quietly replied, a bit uncharacteristically from his boisterous nature at school.

"Thank you Mr. Dragon-Slayer for resurrecting me." Asia meekly said, "And I'm sorry for running away from you and Father Sellzen, I just wasn't expecting…. That."

"It's fine." Ambrose replied as he filled up their glasses with orange juice, "You didn't exactly catch me at my best."

The 'settlement' that Sona and Ambrose agreed on was that neither of them had the right to choose the fate of Asia Argento and Issei Hyoudou. Once Sona reaffirmed her decision to not have any additional **[Sacred Gear]** s in her peerage, Ambrose resurrected the couple. Sona had only seen him resurrect her sister with his philosopher's stone and Ambrosia, this time he used a combination of necromancy and holy magic. It was all quite fascinating, but a little creepy when the necrotic corpses of the pair rose from the dead. After an application of very powerful holy magic, the souls of Issei and Asia were returned to their bodies, **[Sacred Gear]** and all.

The point of contention between Sona and Ambrose was what happens next. While they both agreed to give Hyoudou and Argento the information they needed to make a rational choice, Ambrose had already made up his mind on what that rational choice should be. Ambrose planed to offer the resurrected couple a new life, a new identification, and a small stipend to get started.

Sona, on the other hand, wanted to give Hyoudou and Argento the option of joining Rias's peerage. After apologizing to Ambrose for suggesting that they 'give' the pair to Rias, Sona asserted that they would still have a better chance against Kokabiel with the Gremory Peerage along for support. There was no guarantee that the Maōs or other two factions would even find Kokabiel before his attack. Ambrose tentatively accepted but only with an addendum; should they choose to join Rias, and Rias then failed to end her engagement then she must release them from her service as **[Free Pieces]**. Ambrose felt that since he had resurrected them then he held some responsibility to ensure that they would live, at least past the month. It was Sona's job to emphasize this point to Rias and convince her to agree to that term. Sona said that she would talk to Rias, but privately wondered if Rias would actually follow through with it.

" _She's broken so many promises to me already."_ Sona morosely thought, _"I'm starting to feel as if I can't trust her anymore."_

"So, what happens to us now?" Issei asked uncomfortably as he fumbled with his silverware.

Sona wasn't sure Hyoudou's unease was due to the fact that he had died last night, was resurrected this morning, or having to eat breakfast with a fork and knife.

"That's up to you both, but Sona-Kaichō and I have our own opinions." Ambrose said, using her title as Kaichō since they weren't alone. "I think it would be best if the two of you started new lives in another city. Signorina Argento is most likely still being hunted, either by the Church, Fallen Angels, or maybe certain Devil Clans. You, Hyoudou-san might be as well. I'm prepared to offer you new identifications, and a small allowance to help you two get started on your new life."

"While I agree with Ambrose that you two will probably have to watch your backs for the rest of your lives, I believe it would be best if you learned how to defend yourselves." Sona explained, unable to tell them her plan for Riser and Kokabiel. "I am a devil, and we do have the ability to turn humans into devils; however, I don't have enough pieces to turn you both. Instead, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine who might be able to help you. Perhaps you've heard of her Hyoudou-san, Rias Gremory?"

"Rias Gremory?" Issei asked as his eyes grew wide and glassy.

"Yes, she and her peerage run the Occult Research Club." Sona explained while feeling uneasy about the look in Hyoudou's eyes.

"The Occult Research Club? That's the club with Akeno Himejima as well, the great club with the two Onee-samas!" Issei exclaimed with a bit of drool running down his mouth. "They have the greatest Oppai in the entire school!"

"Ahhh, Issei-san, I don't like that look in your eye." Asia said while pinching Issei's shoulder.

"Oppai?" Sona angrily asked with a twitch in her eye.

"I'm sorry, Asia." Issei apologized.

"Échanger un pervers pour un autre. [Swap one pervert for another]" Ambrose muttered in French, referring to Sona's gamble that Issei could save Rias from Riser.

Sona didn't comment, but secretly agreed with him, wondering if this gamble of hers would pay off in the end.

"It's two hours till school begins." Sona said after checking the time, "I'm going to have one of my servants escort you home, Hyoudou-san. She's going to alter your parent's memories so that you won't be in trouble for not coming home last night. Argento-san, another one of my servants is going to escort you to the Occult Research Club, where you'll wait til we can join you after class. It's Saturday, so there's only a half a day of class."

"You two won't be joining us?" Asia insecurely asked, no doubt wary of being around strange devils.

"I'm afraid we both have other plans. The Maōs will have to be informed of last nights events." Sona said, however, after seeing the increased nervousness on their faces she assured them, "Mostly about the Fallen Angels and how they're causing trouble. Nothing you two need to worry about."

"Well, we have a busy morning ahead of us, we had best get started." Ambrose said as everyone rose from the table. "Oh, I almost forgot. Hyoudou-san, Ddraig, the **[Sacred Gear]** in your left hand, wanted me to pass on a message. He said 'Don't use The Stranger technique again'. Any idea what that's about?"

Hyoudou's face looked panicked, a look Sona had seen on his face whenever one of the girl's clubs caught him doing something perverted.

"What is The Stranger?" Sona asked as her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"N-N-Nothing" Hyoudou insisted.

"Please tell me it's not something perverted with your left hand." Ambrose said, and then face palmed, "Never mind, I don't want to know."


	13. Season 1, Chapter 5

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona had always appreciated how precisely her peerage worked, but she had never been so proud of them as she was now. When she called them before dawn and gave them their instructions they promptly went into action. Reya was given the unfortunate and dubious honor of escorting Issei home so that his parent's memories could be modified; no one wanted to deal with a possible missing persons report. Her **[Bishop]** gave Sona an uncomfortable look as she left with Issei who was all too eager to bring a girl home under any circumstance. Ruruko was currently accompanying Asia to Kuoh Academy's Occult Research Club, where she would wait till classes ended. It was Saturday, with only a half a day of school the rogue nun wouldn't have to wait long. Sona had assured Ruruko that she would be excused from classes today so she could keep Asia company, and to ensure that the young nun wouldn't get into trouble on her own.

Tsubaki, Momo, Tomoe, and Tsubasa had the most important assignment of all, to escort their prisoner, Diodora Astaroth, to the Underworld. Currently Sona's four servants were standing on the platform which housed the train to the Underworld. It was the first time Sona had introduced Ambrose to any of her servants, but she felt pleased that their introduction went smoothly.

Sona had feared that Ambrose had initially made a poor first impression with both peerages when they had gathered in the Occult Research Club on the day he confronted Rias. He gave a few harsh accusations against Rias, but Sona felt that they were partially well deserved and it seemed that these four members of her peerage also felt the same. They were apprehensive at first, but quickly warmed up when Sona had relayed all that was accomplished last night. She explained to her four servants how the abandoned church had been cleared out, the ritual the Fallen Angels had performed on the two **[Sacred Gear]** wielders, how those same Fallen Angels attempted to frame the devils of Kuoh for their deeds, and most importantly the capture and interrogation of Diodora Astaroth. With that explanation the girls quickly warmed up to Ambrose.

"Thank you very much for all your help, Dragon-Slayer." Tsubaki said as she and her three fellow servants bowed with gratitude.

"Please, call me Ambrose." He insisted with a kind smile, "Something tells me we're going to be working together a lot more in the future, so I hope we can get along."

Before they boarded the train to the Underworld, Sona once more reminded her servants of their mission.

"You are to ensure no one finds out about this." She instructed Tsubaki, the importance of their task was impressed on by Sona's tone of voice, "Go directly to Maō Leviathan and give her our prisoner as well as this envelope. In it are not only what Ambrose and I found out, but also the modification to the fliers."

"Yes Kaichō." Tsubaki dutifully replied, "Are you sure it wouldn't be best for you to come with us?"

"I would," Sona admitted with a frown, "I had even planned on it, but I have to meet with Rias today in order to… over see her meeting with our 'guests'."

" _I want to ensure she doesn't turn them into devils forcefully, just in case."_ Sona thought, while not wanting to voice such an unpleasant accusation. _"Rias can be quite persuasive when she wants to be."_

"I understand." Tsubaki dutifully replied.

"Please tell my sister that I'll contact her tonight to answer any questions she might have." Sona added.

Tsubaki gave a small smiled and then bowed before she and her fellow peerage members boarded the train. Sona and Ambrose stood on the platform, watching the train depart and silently hoping that this evidence would change the future for the better.

" _It's the best opportunity we've had so far."_ Sona privately thought, _"While we didn't find proof that Kokabiel plans to attack Kuoh, we did find evidence about his desire to steal Excalibur fragments. This involves all three factions, it'll definitely get them talking and hopefully cooperating. That's not even considering the bonus of discovering evidence of the Khaos Brigade."_

"How did Gremory take it when you told her there's a nun in her club room?" Ambrose asked, breaking her from her internal thoughts.

"She wasn't happy, but her mood turned around when I explained to her why Asia was there." Sona replied while feeling conflicted about her childhood friend, "I managed to get her to promise not to approach them until after school."

"I want to be in on that meeting." Ambrose strongly insisted, "I don't want her to take advantage of either of them."

"She _**is**_ a Devil." Sona reminded her fiance, "But I know what you mean… Promise me you'll try to be nice."

"I promise I'll be behave." Ambrose replied with a frown, "I can't promise that I'll be nice."

Sona frowned at that but could understand why he was cautious around Rias. She had previously tried to explain to Ambrose that she believed there was no malice behind Rias's actions, but in Ambrose's mind that was worse.

" _An_ _individual_ _who does_ _horrible_ _things for our own good will never stop_ _doing them_ _because_ _their conscience clears them of any wrongdoing_ _."_ Ambrose had told her at the time.

Sona believed that he was also referring to the Old Deus, which hammered in just how much he hated Rias.

While Sona could understand Rias's point of view, she didn't approve of her actions. In fact, had it been anyone but Rias then Sona wouldn't have been so understanding. It was a rather difficult thing for her, torn between her childhood friend and her fiance. Despite looking as if they were related, Ambrose and Rias had very different personalities and backgrounds. Ambrose was an orphan, he had no family, his mentor died when he was barely ten, he had to work for everything he ever had in his life, and faced impossible challenges head on. He was ambitious, self motivated, and self reliant. He was by no means perfect, Ambrose was paranoid, slow to trust, quick to mistrust; he often made a poor first impression on people, and was quite stubborn once he made up his mind about something.

 _"Or someone."_ Sona thought, as Ambrose had made up his mind about Rias.

Rias had been born into nobility and, unlike Sona, had been over indulged by her family who gave her almost everything she wanted. She pouted, complained, or did nothing when things didn't go her way; Rias's lack of preparation to challenge her engagement being the prime example.

" _And now, here we are bringing her two potential servants."_ Sona sourly thought, _"If this works, I hope Rias will come through when Kokabiel attacks."_

Part of Sona believed that her friend would not take advantage of the two **[Sacred Gear]** wielders that had been brought to her doorstep, but Rias had broken too many promises in such a short amount of time and Sona was beginning to seriously doubt her friend.

" _Never the less,"_ Sona thought as she reached for Ambrose's hand and interlocked their fingers, _"If it came down to a choice between Rias and Ambrose, then I've already made my decision."_

"Ready to head to school?" Ambrose asked with a smile and gave her hand a light squeeze.

"Yes," Sona replied with a smile of her own, "But there's something I've wanted to do ever since you enrolled in Kuoh."

"What's that?"

Sona answered him with a devilish smile.

* * *

Sona had never been the subject of gossip before, the only time anyone had really talked about her was to compliment her scholastic achievements.

" _That, and for creating the Kuoh Academy Beautification Club."_ Sona thought while smiling.

With the creation of the Kuoh Academy Beautification Club, Sona experienced something she hadn't before, genuine popularity due to her actions. But today...

"W-What?"

"I-Is that Kaichō with the new transfer student?"

"Aw, they're holding hands."

"They're such a cute couple!"

Not only did Sona and Ambrose arrive to school together, but she kept their fingers interlocked; declaring to all students of Kuoh Academy that Ambrose was officially taken.

"That bastard!" Matsuda yelled out.

"Why does the new guy get a girlfriend while we're still single?" Motohama loudly complained.

Ambrose didn't pay any attention to the other students, his carefree smile was present on his face as he occasionally looked over at her with a light blush of his own. Sona could tell that all of his worries regarding their upcoming meeting with Rias was set aside.

Sona couldn't help but blush in return, thinking that the simple act of holding his hand had this affect on him.

Since Ambrose had defeated the Fallen Angels in the abandoned church, Sona felt that she could publicly admit their relationship to the students of Kuoh, Devils and all. Their engagement would remain within the peerages, their level of intimacy would remain hidden from everyone. As student council president, Sona felt that she had a responsibility to set an example of what a healthy high school romance should aspire to be. As a young girl in love, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement as they walked hand in hand to their classroom.

" _Let's hope the good mood lasts."_ Sona thought as Ambrose escorted her to her desk, _"I hope this meeting with the Rias goes better than the last one."_

* * *

After classes, the newly minted couple was admitted inside the Occult Research Club by Akeno, who smiled politely at Sona but refused to look at Ambrose. Rias was standing in front of her desk, she was apparently deep in thought until she saw the pair enter the room. Ambrose, unwilling to even greet Rias, quietly made his way over to the side of the room and began speaking to Asia in Italian.

Sona watched Asia begin to relax a bit as Ambrose began speaking with her. _"I can't blame the nun for being a little intimidated, considering she's surrounded by Devils."_

"Good afternoon, Sona." Rias said, though her eyes drifted towards Ambrose with an uneasy look.

"Good afternoon, Rias." Sona replied back but made a motion signaling that she wanted to speak with her friend in private.

Rias caught the gesture, then directed Sona to an anteroom and closed the door behind them after the pair entered.

"I know what you're going to say." Rias said as soon as they were alone, "And I'm sorry."

"You seem to be apologizing a lot lately." Sona tersely replied, "I told you to stay away from the church. Ambrose was out last night, risking his life, only to find you sneaking around. Do you have any idea how that looks?"

"I know." Rias said and hung her head in shame.

"Please tell me you weren't there to turn him into a Devil." Sona said, but began to glare when Rias didn't give an immediate response. "Rias..." Sona hissed, not wanting to raise her voice for fear of being overheard. "Tell me."

"I thought we could help him." Rias explained, "He had helped us with the stray devil the other night, it seemed only fair."

"He can take care of himself." Sona reminded her friend, though she had no doubt Rias would have turned her fiance if she founded his corpse.

" _Even if he died, he would just resurrect himself."_ Sona privately thought, _"But we can't let anyone know about the death flowers. It's his only means of self resurrection and he can only do it once for every flower he has on him. Even still, she might have been able to turn him into a Devil during a moment of weakness. If she found him critically injured but not completely dead, or dead before he resurrected himself, then she could mess up the entire resurrection process and force Am-chan into her service."_

"Y-yes, I saw that he could take care of himself quite well last evening." Rias hesitantly admitted, "Akeno is terrified of him."

"What exactly did you see?" Sona asked her childhood friend while wondering, _"Did she see the **[Master Key]**?"_

"Akeno and I teleported to the abandoned church." Rias said, orating her accounts of what happened last night. "We didn't see any guards on the grounds, only a bunch of black feathers all over the place. We both thought it was strange until we entered the church and saw a Fallen Angel with a fedora and trench coat burst out of a hidden chamber. His eyes were wild and terrified; I don't think he even noticed us, not that he had much time to notice anything. He quickly exploded in a flash of light, all that was left of him was his dark feathers floating down all over the place. It was the Dragon-Slayer, he managed to kill him before he escaped. Your fiance wasn't happy to see us, he reiterated his threat to me and demanded that we leave." Rias finished, sounding a bit frightened herself. "Sona, you know Akeno's past, her ancestry; he really frightened her."

"Akeno, The Ultimate Sadist, is scared of my fiance?" Sona humorously asked in disbelief, "That's kind of funny considering Ambrose doesn't torture for fun. He finds it distasteful and prefers to deal with his opponents efficiently."

"It isn't just Akeno, all of my servants are on their guard around him. When he made that accusation against me..." Rias took a moment to calm herself down, the mere mentioning of Ambrose's suggestion that she had forcefully turned all of her students had riled up her anger. "After he said those things all of my peerage began to doubt me. With a few words he instilled doubt that I, their **[King]** , had done..."

"That you did to them exactly what you tried to do to Ambrose." Sona finished for her.

Rias winced and nodded her head in shame, Sona could guess that her friend's pride was hurt not only by the accusation but that her own peerage doubted her, even for a moment.

" _Though I shouldn't be too surprised that Am-chan could instill such doubt."_ Sona thought to herself, _"He caused the Biblical God to doubt Himself so much that He withered and killed His own conscience."_

Rias paused before continuing, "While I hate what he insinuated, I can't help but think that he was right about one thing; there is a pattern. Sona, my brother brought me nearly every member of my peerage. The only one Onii-sama didn't have a hand in was Akeno, who was brought to me by the archduke."

"What are you suggesting, that Maō Lucifer an evil mastermind?" Sona skeptically asked. "He may be a Maō, but I don't think he'd put innocent people in life or death situations just so you can expand your peerage."

"No, I don't think he would either." Rias said with a shake of her head, "But there's no doubt he did help me. What kind of a **[King]** am I to need my older brother's help in order to build my peerage? And now here you are with two new candidates..."

" _Am-chan's words really shook her up."_

"Were you able to clear things up with your servants?" Sona worriedly asked, _"If her peerage lost faith in Rias... Maō I don't want to think about the implications."_

"I managed to clear things up, though I think they resent him for causing them question me." Rias admitted, "But I still don't know… I've never felt less like a **[King]** before. First Onii-sama, and now you and your fiance bringing me two more..."

" _I've got to stop this. She's no good to anyone, even herself, if she continues down this line of thought."_ Sona reasoned, "It doesn't matter if Maō Lucifer brought your peerage to you, or if Ambrose and I have. You're the one who convinced them to join you, you're the one who's protected them. All we're asking you to do is talk to these two people and see if you can find a place in your household for them."

"We?" Rias doubtfully asked with a raised eyebrow, uncertain that Ambrose would have agreed to this.

"He's agreed to allow you to talk to them, but on one condition." Sona explained, "I told him about your engagement to Riser Phenix and what kind of man he is. Ambrose understands your plight, but insists that Hyoudou and Argento be released as **[Free Pieces]** should you fail to break your engagement."

"Riser may be a horrible womanizer, but he wouldn't dare do anything to my servants." Rias resolutely insisted, "Father wouldn't let him."

"Duke Gremory wouldn't be able to do anything about it." Sona reminded her, "You're the heir, when you marry the title of Duke will go to Riser and you will become part of the Phenix clan. Your father's protests can be ignored at that point. You and I both know what kind of man Riser is, do you think he wouldn't hesitate to use your peerage as an extension of his harem? Personally, I think you should take it a step further and release your entire peerage should you fail to gain your freedom."

"Maybe I should do that now." Rias dejectedly said. "I've also begun to hear that Riser is pushing for an early marriage, I'm not in any position to defeat him."

"Issei Hyoudou is this generations Red Dragon Emperor." Sona stated, hoping that would bring her friend out of her depression.

"Really?!" Rias exclaimed in surprise and hope.

"Yes, but it's up to you to convince him to join you." Sona reminded her, "As for Ambrose helping you with your engagement… I do have an idea that might help you two get along." she hesitantly trailed off. _"I doubt Hyoudou and Argento will be enough to help Rias with her rating game. However if I can get Rias and Am-chan to interact more then he might be willing to help her. I just have to convince Am-chan..."_

"What is it?" Rias softly asked.

"This is no guarantee, this is only a way that might get him to connect with you and your peerage." Sona explained, "All the work to build trust will have to be done on your part; however, it might get you into a bit of trouble with your brother."

"Tell me, then let me decide how much trouble this will cost me." Rias unwavering replied.

* * *

After their discussion, both Sona and Rias reentered the main club room ready to begin the meeting to convince Hyoudou and Argento to join Rias's peerage. Sona felt satisfied that she had impressed upon the need for Rias to free her servants should she fail to end her engagement. She only hoped that her attempt to help Rias and Ambrose to reconcile would pay off. It was a long shot, but Sona had realized that Rias had something Ambrose wanted, even if the pair didn't know about it. Sona only hoped that her friend would be willing to risk upsetting her brother because she doubted the power of an untrained Red Dragon Emperor would be enough to free Rias from her engagement.

" _Perhaps I should spend a little extra time with Am-chan to ensure he's amenable, should Rias accept my suggestion in spite of her brother."_

Sona's thoughts were interrupted when Kiba came in while escorting Hyoudou who took a moment to take in the room. Hyoudou's eyes were wide as he looked around, but his perverted nature soon found someone to fixate over.

"Oh, it's Koneko Toujou, the school mascot!" Issei loudly exclaimed. "Her petite body and loli looks inspire the desires of all men!"

"Issei!" Asia scolded from the side of the room where she had been conversing with Ambrose's.

"Pervert." Koneko said, glaring at Hyoudou before resuming her snack.

"I -I was just surprised that she was in the Occult Research Club, that's all." Issei weakly defended himself from Asia's reprimand.

"Ara, is this our other potential recruit?" Akeno asked with a smile and a bow, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

" _I see_ _Akeno is attempting to charm Hyoudou into joining."_ , Sona privately thought as she watched Hyoudou embarrass himself in front of Rias's peerage, _"At least someone in Rias's peerage is committed to ending her engagement."_

A round of introductions was made where everyone was formally introduced to Issei Hyoudou and Asia Argento. Issei was obviously very excited to be in the club, his 'passion' plain for everyone to see. Asia, in contrast, was more reserved but still politely greeted everyone.

" _Asia seems to be a bit left out."_ Sona thought, _"Is Rias overlooking her in favor of the Red Dragon Emperor?"_

"I'd like to welcome our visitors to the club." Rias began without any trace of her earlier insecurities showing, "As you may have heard, this club is a facade in order to hide the truth behind our activities; the members of both the Student Council and the Occult Research Club are Devils."

She finished her statement by spreading her wings in display, her entire peerage followed along with her example. Sona thought it was a bit dramatic and sat on the couch next to her fiance, refusing to spread her own wings. This was Rias's show, so Sona decided to simply watch things unfold to ensure everything remained aboveboard.

Akeno began to serve tea to their guests as Rias began to explain the basic history of Devils to their guests.

"Modern day Devils are the ancestors of the first dissents against the Biblical God, those who followed the original Lucifer and waged war against Heaven in the name of freedom. This attempt was both a failure and a success; we failed to win against Heaven but we did win our freedom when we fell to the Underworld."

Rias's explanation was interrupted when Akeno spilled a cup on hot tea into Ambrose's lap.

"I'm sorry!" Akeno hastily replied, but Ambrose gave her an irritated look and magically cleaned his pants.

Rias's entire peerage was tense for a moment, but when he sat back down on the couch next to Sona, Rias then resumed her tale. "Unlike Devils, Fallen Angels never made war against the Biblical God. Instead they were cast out due to their wicked nature and have claimed part of the Underworld for themselves. Since the formation of the three factions and the end of the last great war, we've been at a three way standoff. Currently there's a cease fire in place, tensions are high between the factions but no one wants to restart the great war again. Skirmishes have been known to happen on occasion, but we try to avoid those as best as we can. This is why we were unable to handle the situation with the Fallen Angels in the abandoned church, but fortunately the Dragon-Slayer was able to take care of it."

"Sounds a bit complicated for a stupid high school student like me." Issei replied, scratching the back of his head. "I know they wanted something called **[Sacred Gears]** from us, but I don't exactly understand what that is. The Fallen Angels said it was some sort of weapon that was inside of me, the Dragon-Slayer called it Ddraig."

" **[Sacred Gears]** are artifacts created by the Biblical God so that humanity can defend themselves, either from Devils or other supernatural threats." Rias explained, "This is a rare power that you were born with. Ddraig is the name of the Red Dragon Emperor, which is your **[Sacred Gear]**. It's very rare and powerful Longinus class weapon called the **[Boosted Gear]** that is rumored to be able to kill a god. Why don't you try summoning it?"

"How do I do that?" Issei asked helplessly.

"How about we ask the Dragon-Slayer to give us a demonstration." Rias suggested, "He has **[Sacred Gear]**."

"No." Ambrose replied and defiantly crossed his arms.

" _Rias, what are you doing?"_ Sona thought and gave her friend a disapproving look.

Rias frowned in disappointment; however, Asia was ever helpful and decided to help her Issei out.

"You have to imagine yourself at your very best." The rogue nun said as she grabbed her hands in prayer and two glowing rings emerged. "This is my **[Sacred Gear]** , it's called **[Twilight Healing]** and has the ability to heal all wounds; even on Devils."

" _It heals devils? Now that's interesting."_ Sona thought in surprised, and noticed her fiance seemed interested as well.

"Imagine the strongest being that comes to your mind, Issei." Rias suggested, "Then focus that energy into your left hand and call it forth."

"Right." Issei resolutely replied.

He closed his eyes and gained an intense look of concentration on his face, though Sona thought he looked constipated.

"Come Forth Ddraig!" Issei shouted and attempted to strike a heroic pose.

Nothing happened.

"Hey, what gives?" Issei complained.

"You're not doing it right." Ambrose replied, "Close your eyes."

Although frustrated, Issei nodded and did as instructed.

"Remember what happened last night?" Ambrose asked, "What the Fallen Angels did to you, what they did to Asia?"

Issei opened his eyes and glared at Ambrose.

"Close your eyes." Ambrose sternly ordered again and Hyoudou reluctantly complied, "Remember everything they did to you, how helpless you felt? You couldn't do anything to save Asia, could you? But imagine, just for a moment, that you could do something. That you did have that power within you to save Asia. What would you do to save her? Where would that power inside of you come from? Well, Hyoudou, where is that power?"

"Argh!" Issei screamed out in anger at the memory. " **[Sacred Gear]**!" and in a red flash a small gauntlet appeared on his red wrist.

"Congrats, Hyoudou." Ambrose said with a small smile.

"Is this it?" Issei asked, looking at his gauntlet in wonder.

"Oh, it's only a twice critical." Rias said in disappointment.

"He's not strong enough to summon its true from." Ambrose explained, "Powerful **[Sacred Gears]** require a strong host in order to summon its true form. He'll need training; not only to learn how to effectively use it, but to also communicate with his new partner."

" _Am-chan would know about that."_ Sona thought recalling Ambrose's demonstration to her in the wasteland, _"The **[Master Key]** 's first form is a single rod of light that he still uses on occasion. He only uses its true form, seven light wings, for more dangerous encounters."_

Rias nodded in acceptance of Ambrose's explanation before turning to Issei and Asia. "This power is the reason both you and Asia were attacked. I'm afraid your lives are forever changed because of it."

"But those Fallen Angels were defeated." Issei said desperately pleaded, "Who else would come after us?"

"Asia told me how she was expelled from the church." Ambrose explained to Issei, "She said that she used her powers to heal a devil and was excommunicated over it. I ran across that devil, Diodora Astaroth, last night as he attempted to steal her body after death in order to turn Asia into his servant. Just because he's been dealt with doesn't mean she's safe. She'll continue to be targeted by Fallen Angels and possibly members of the church. Diodora might also have other allies who would target her, or at the very least, want to question her about his disappearance."

"All power comes at a price, and you're no different than Asia." Ambrose continued to explain. "You're this generation's Red Dragon Emperor, but it seems Ddraig has a long history and his own rival, the White Dragon Emperor. The two wielders of these **[Sacred Gear]** are fated to fight one another, and you should have no doubt that this individual is currently seeking you out."

"Which is why you've been brought to me." Rias said, "I'm offering to turn you both into devils, to make you my servants and provide you with the protection of my house."

"Servants?" Issei questioned.

"That's right, I will be your Master, your **[King]** , and be responsible for your safety. In turn you will fulfill contracts with humans and gain training so you can learn how to better defend yourselves. But devil society is a meritocracy." Rias explained, "Work hard, do well with your assigned tasks, and you might have servants of your own one day."

"Really?" Issei perked up, "My own servants?"

"If you work hard, yes." Rias affirmed with a smile.

"And they'll have to do whatever I say?" Issei excitedly asked, "Even perverted things?"

"Of course." Rias affirmatively nodded, "You could even have your own harem."

"Wait, Really?!" Issei excitedly exclaimed.

"Wait, really?" Ambrose disbelievingly asked, looking to Sona for clarification.

"You already know that devils are critically underpopulated since the wars, as well as low birthrates." Sona embarrassingly explained, "this is to help increase our numbers."

"I had knew about the low birth rates, but I didn't realize it was so bad." Ambrose commented, "Actually, I might have something for that..."

"I'm going to be a Harem King!" Issei interrupted excitedly, exclaiming in joy. "Sign me up, I want to be a devil!"

"Excellent." Rias happily replied, "And how about you Asia?"

"I…" Asia uncertainly replied, and fidgeted with her fingers. "I don't want a harem."

"What do you want Asia?" Ambrose curiously asked.

"Issei is my friend, and I would like to stay with him. But …. " Asia shyly explained, "But I can't become a devil!" she shouted resolutely.

Everyone was struck back at her outburst.

"I've spent my entire life in service to God." Asia explained, "And even though I'm excommunicated, I can't give that up that part of my life. I won't give that up. I don't think I could ever stop believing, or praying. So… I won't become a devil… but I'd like to still be friends with Issei."

"That's fine." Ambrose reassuringly said to the girl. "I'm not a devil, and I've become good friends with Sona-Kaichō."

"Really?" Asia hopefully asked.

"Yes, that's true." Sona replied with a smile and reached for her fiance's hand, "He and I have grown very close despite our different background."

"Does that mean I can stay?" Asia uncertainly asked.

"Sure, you can move into my apartment." Ambrose suddenly suggested.

" _That's not going to happen."_ Sona thought as she incredulously looked at her fiance, alarmed at the idea of another woman being so close to him.

"There's no way I'm going to let that happen!" Issei protested while Sona became disturbed that her own thoughts had echoed the pervert's statement. "You just want to make Asia part of your harem!"

"I'm not a devil so I can't have a harem. I don't even want one, as I'm quite happy with my current relationship with Sona-Kaichō, thank you very much." Ambrose irritatedly insisted at Issei's accusation. "I'm simply providing the best solution for us all. Asia can remain in Kuoh and enroll in the academy, while also remaining in contact with you. Everyone gets what they want."

"Issei, Ambrose resurrected us, he gave us our lives back." Asia explained, "He also uses his skills in magic and alchemy to heal people, so we have something in common. If he can live peacefully with devils then I'd like to follow his example. This way you can become a devil and we can remain friends. That is, if you still want to be friends… Will you still be my friend Issei, even if I'm not a devil?"

"Of course Asia." Issei said reassuringly. "We'll always be friends and we'll go out and have more fun just like we did yesterday."

Asia smiled warmly at Issei's statement.

"That reminds me, I'd like to know how the Dragon-Slayer resurrected two people." Rias said, crossing her arms as she all but demanded an answer.

"Skillfully." was his only reply before checking the time on his pocket watch, "We should probably head back to the abandoned church to pick up Asia's things."

"Before you go, would you like to watch Issei's transformation?" Rias surprisingly offered.

" _That's odd. Normally something like this is an extremely private affair, kept only within the peerage."_ Sona thought, _"Why would she invite us to stay?"_

"If it's alright with Issei, I'd like to stay to make sure he's alright." Asia timidly replied.

"Alright then." Rias replied and then commanded Issei to lie down on the ground.

"Will it hurt?" Issei nervously asked as he looked up from his position on the floor. His face quickly turned lecherous as his wide eyes shamelessly stared up Rias's skirt.

"Yeah, it's going to hurt a lot." Koneko suddenly spoke up, glaring at the pervert.

Rias gave her **[Rook]** a reprimanding look, "She's just teasing you, it'll only hurt for a short bit." she said trying to relieve Issei's unease.

Issei gulped as he was reminded what was about to happen, but still remained in place. He took a deep breath as Rias brought forth a single **[Pawn]**. There was no immediate reaction, so Rias brought forth one more, then another, and another, till finally…

"Maō, all eight **[P** **awns** **]**." Rias commented, her voice tinged with awe.

"Is that good?" Issei hesitantly asked.

"Oh yes." Rias replied while giving soon to be servant a desirous look, causing him to blush yet filled him with confidence. "Issei Hyoudou, your life as you know it is over. You will dedicate your life to me and become my servant, my one and only **[Pawn]**."

As the heiress to the Gremory clan finished her proclamation the **[Evil Pieces]** lit up, circled around Issei Hyoudou and dove straight inside of his chest. A red glow flashed as the room was bathed in demonic energy and then slowly faded till the room was still once more.

Issei opened his eyes and rubbed his chest where the **[E** **vil** **P** **ieces** **]** had merged with him. "It stung for a bit, but I feel fine now. In fact, I don't feel any different."

"It'll take a little while before your body completely adjusts, in the meantime you might start to feel a little weaker during the daylight. But don't worry, that'll pass." Rias comfortingly told her newest servant. "Welcome, Issei Hyoudou. Welcome to Clan Gremory."

"Thank you very much." Issei said, standing up and bowing before his new **[King]** , "Now, what's the first thing I have to do to become a harem king?"

"Issei..." Asia frowned at him causing Hyoudou to blush in embarrassment.

"I'm glad you asked." Rias cheerfully replied, "The first thing you have to do is distribute these fliers."

"What?!" Issei yelled.

"I think that's our cue to leave." Ambrose said, "Thank you for your time Gremory and good luck Hyoudou."

"Good luck, Issei." Asia encouragingly said, "I'll see you at school soon."

Sona, realizing that there was nothing more for her to do, left with her fiance and Asia. Most of her peerage was still in the Underworld, while Reya, Ruruko and Saji were given the rest of the day off. With no student council activities or peerage to train, Sona decided to follow along till she got the answers she desperately needed.

" _Just what were you thinking inviting that nun to your house?"_ Sona wondered while glancing at Ambrose as they left the Occult Research Club, _"You're so paranoid about everything, but you suddenly decide to get a roommate?"_

Patience was a virtue and devils were not known for being virtuous; yet Sona could admit that she was a patient person, except when she had to wait for answers. She walked along with her fiance and Asia, listening as the two spoke about unimportant things, at least unimportant in Sona's mind. They first spoke about school, until Asia had admitted she had only been educated by the church. Ambrose then tried speaking about Italy and his love for Lake Como, but Asia said that she hadn't traveled much outside of the church. He then tried talking about Italian cuisine, but Asia explained how the meals at the church were rather basic.

All in all, Sona thought the entire exchange was rather uncomfortable as every attempt Ambrose made to engage Asia in conversation was stifled by Asia's limited experiences. _"They have nothing in common, why did he offer to open up his home to her?"_

Sona had hoped to get some answers when Asia went inside the abandoned church to collect her things. That idea was quickly defeated when the innocent nun said there was more than she could carry by herself. Feeling put out, Sona was left to wait outside of the church's territory for the pair to emerge once more. She nearly lost her patience when they came back carrying nothing, until her fiance had said that he had teleported everything rather than carrying it themselves.

Sona was all set to teleport immediately to her fiance's home when Ambrose had casually mentioned about going shopping for Asia. She finally put her foot down on that idea by calmly offering one of her servants to help the nun with her shopping at a later date under the guise of 'something girls should do together'.

With that Ambrose finally transported the trio, and Sona could finally get her answers. As they appeared, Sona was shocked to find out that this was not her fiance's home, but instead a furnished three bedroom apartment.

" _Am-chan initiated the transport, so we obviously arrived where he intended to bring us."_ Sona thought as she went to the window. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a very familiar looking wooded area across the street, the site where Ambrose's home was hidden. _"This is the apartment he rents as a diversion"_ she realized with a smile, _"He never intended to live with her."_

Asia politely thanked Ambrose for his help with her luggage and opening his home to her; however, Sona's fiance waved it off and told her that this apartment was hers now. Although surprised, Asia thanked him again and went to explore her new apartment and unpack. Sona, still desperate for answers pulled her fiance aside the moment Asia had left the room.

"While I'm glad you two aren't living together," Sona whispered so as not to be overheard, "Why not let Rias take care of her? Or even Hyoudou?"

"Two reasons." Ambrose replied in that calm manner that infuriated her when she was impatient, "One, I resurrected her, so I bare some responsibility for what happens to her. And two, did you hear what she can do? What **[Twilight Healing]** can do? It can heal devils."

"I can see how that might be useful, but I still don't understand your interest in her." Sona assertively said.

"Are you jealous?" Ambrose asked with a smirk.

"No." Sona strongly denied, but her protest sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"I want to learn her power." Ambrose whispered to her.

"What?"

"The **[Master Key]** , it's the culmination and collection of all **[Sacred Gears]** and their powers." Ambrose reminded her, "I've never come across other **[Sacred Gears]** before today. I only had the descriptions that your 'counterpart' told me about, and those were the only ones she had personally seen. Tsubaki's **[Mirror Alice]** , Kiba's **[Sword Birth]** , and Saji's stupid lasso."

"You think you could learn **[Twilight Healing]** and incorporate it into the **[Master Key]**?" Sona realized in amazement.

"I think the **[Master Key]** already has that power within it, I just never knew it could do it." Ambrose clarified, "I'm still learning about **[Sacred Gears]** and I have no idea what they're capable of or the varieties of powers that they have. What I do know is that whatever powers **[Sacred Gears]** have are powers the **[Master Key]** also has."

Sona's mind boggled as the true meaning behind the name **[Master Key]** made itself clear to her. _"The Biblical God wasn't just creating **[Sacred Gear]** , weapons that could never be used against him. He was accumulating powers he didn't have for Himself, powers that Ambrose is now in possession of."_

"You were jealous." Ambrose teasingly commented, "That's so sweet."

"I was not." Sona denied with a blush.

"Don't worry, she's not my type." Ambrose reassured her while holding her in his embrace, "I like my women confident, intelligent, and sexy."

"Oh? What else?" Sona coquettish asked, fishing for more compliments.

"While I absolutely love your glasses, they hide the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen." Ambrose whispered softly in her ear, "They're the color of amethyst."

All trace of her earlier frustrations had vanished, her unease had completely disappeared. She coyly looked up at her fiance while within his arms and stood up on her toes ready to give Ambrose a kiss that he would never forget.

"Oh!" a voice from the hallway exclaimed in shock.

They both looked over and saw Asia, who was quite embarrassed to have interrupted their intimate moment. The couple hastily broke apart.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Asia mortifyingly replied.

"It's alright." Sona said, though feeling it was, in fact, far from alright. _"At least I don't have to worry about her trying to seduce Am-_ _chan_ _."_

"Well," Ambrose embarrassingly said with a blush of his own, "Why don't we go grocery shopping. There's no food in this house."

* * *

With Sona's insecurities quelled, the three of them began to have a quiet but comfortable evening. After returning from the grocery store, Sona and Ambrose wound up teaching Asia some basic cooking lessons, as she was woefully unprepared to make meals on her own. While preparing their food, Ambrose had 'accidentally' cut himself with a knife and Asia was all too happy to heal his wound. Sona, however, felt quite gratified to put her improved cooking skills to use, thanks to Ambrose's 'Osmosis' potion, and was pleased with how well the dinner had turned out.

After their meal, the trio shared the responsibility of cleaning the kitchen up. Ambrose then handed Asia a copy of the keys to the apartment so she could feel free to invite Issei over whenever she wanted. He also said there was something wrong with the buzzer, but he'd get it fixed as soon as possible.

" _He'll have to change it so it doesn't ring his own home across the street."_ , Sona had realized as she and her fiance left the rogue nun's new residence.

As Ambrose and Sona stepped out into the cool spring night, he flirtatiously asked, "Would you like to come over?"

"I would." Sona reluctantly admitted, "But I can't. I have to check on a few things. My peerage hasn't returned to from the Underworld and I need to contact my sister to get an update. Can I get a rain-check?"

"How about tomorrow?" Ambrose suggested with a smile, "It's Sunday, and I believe you owe me a date."

"Oh?" Sona asked with a smile of her own, "What do you have planned?"

"Well, originally I had signed us up for some cooking classes designed for couples." Ambrose explained, "But then I got an invitation to a party in Kyoto, seems the Governor of Kyoto, Yasaka, is holding a charity ball. I've already paid for our tickets; however, we're not obliged to go. Still, it did occur to me that we might have an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with other factions, like the Yōkai."

Sona considered the options. _"While a couple's cooking class sounds fun, I can't ignore the importance of building a better relationship with other factions."_

"It's your choice," Ambrose reminded her, "We don't have to go to the ball, or we can always take the cooking class another time."

"It would definitely help the devil's public image if we were to be seen, and we might make headway on future relations with the Yōkai." Sona admitted, though dreading a formal function, "I'll have to pick out a dress."

"No need." Ambrose replied, "We'll go shopping tomorrow before the event, we can even have lunch at a cafe."

"A date before our date?" Sona smiled at her fiance. "Alright, I'm looking forward to it."

With that, the pair shared a kiss before Sona left for her apartment, eager to get an update on the status of her peerage and the after effects Diodora's testimony created. Preparing herself for the worst, yet hoping for the best, Sona arrived at her apartment and activated a magical communication circle to make contact with her beloved sister, Maō Serafall Leviathan.

The circle glowed and spun for a moment before the image of Serafall Leviathan appeared.

"So-tan!" Serafall happily cheered, "I've been waiting to hear from you. I missed you so much, you should have come to visit me."

"Hello Onee-sama." Sona replied with a genuine smile, happy to see her sister alive and in such good spirits. _"The last time I spoke with her was in the future and the burden of the final war weighed heavily on her."_

"Do you have any idea how much work you made for me?" Serafall complained with a cute pout, "All the Maōs have been super busy since we interviewed Diodora."

"You found his deposition helpful then?" Sona asked, eager to get more information.

"It's been crazy." Serafall admitted in consternation, "You and your peerage uncovered the existence of an organization that wants to over throw us, they're planning to stage a coup. I hope you don't mind, but I had to commandeer your peerage just to help with all the insanity. We have no idea who to trust, Ajuka-chan especially since Diodora is a member of his former clan."

"I understand, Onee-sama. Please be sure to look after them." Sona replied, glad her servants could be of use.

"Oh, they're not in any danger." Serafall admitted with a giggle, as if hiding a secret joke, "The exploit you showed us with the fliers has been a huge help. We, the Maōs, have decided not to implement a nation wide update on the vulnerability on the current fliers, at least until we can round up as many members of the Khaos Brigade as possible."

"You're forcefully summoning members of the Khaos Brigade and the Old Satan faction!" Sona deduced with surprise. _"I hadn't realized that Onee-sama would use the flier exploit to help round up terrorists."_

"Once we got a list of names from Diodora we started gathering fliers from other clans. We then forcefully summon them into a holding area so we can question them and get more names." Serafall earnestly explained, "Your peerage first helped us to understand the exploit, and now they've been very helpful in interviewing and processing the conspirators. We've had more people to question than we knew what to do with, and since they're embedded within our own government your servants are the only ones we can completely trust."

" _The fliers have had a greater impact on the future than I could have ever thought possible."_ Sona thought in amazement, feeling quite proud of her and her peerage's accomplishment.

"There's also been talk of rewarding you and your peerage for your efforts in the prevention of a future civil war. Unfortunately, that will have to wait since the entire flier exploit has been deemed a classified matter. You and your peerage are now sworn to secrecy about the exploit until we can get this entire mess straightened out." Serafall explained, "Have you told anyone about it?"

"Rias knows about it, but wasn't involved with the creation of the work around; she only knows it's possible. There is a sorcerer, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer, who alerted us to the vulnerability but he's promised not to share that knowledge with anyone."

"Yes, I heard about him." Serafall stated with an unreadable expression.

"Oh?" Sona questioned, _"Oh dear, I hope my peerage didn't tell her about the engagement before I had a chance to."_

"Tsubaki-chan said he was the one who discovered Diodora while taking care of some Fallen Angels. She said they were attempting to frame you for the murder of a two **[Sacred Gear]** wielders." Serafall said but then hesitantly added, "Tomoe-chan also told us what he looks like, Sirzechs-chan wants to meet him."

"I've already checked, he's not Millicas." Sona firmly stated.

Serafall shook her head, "I think Sirzechs and Grayfia want to confirm that for themselves. At the very least, Sirzechs-chan and I want to personally thank him for helping to protect our little sisters. Tell me So-tan, are you going to make a magical pact with him and make him your sorcerer?"

Sona couldn't help but blush at the idea of Ambrose becoming officially 'hers' in anyway shape or form. _"Although, creating a pact with him would solidify our relationship and grant him the protection of the Sitri Clan. That might be worth looking into."_

"Maō, why are you blushing So-tan?" Serafall jealously asked with a pout.

" _It would be best if Onee-sama heard from me rather than someone else."_ Sona thought and braced herself, "He defeated me in chess."

Her sister didn't disappoint and puffed her cheeks out in indignation; however, Sona interrupted her before Serafall could begin, "Onee-sama, please. I know what you're going to say, but it would mean a lot to me if you gave him a chance. I've worked very hard to get him to trust devils… Rias hasn't exactly made a good impression."

Serafall's bluster soon deflated at Sona's plea, "We also heard about Ria's actions. I heard Sirzechs-chan isn't pleased with his little sister right now... I suppose I owe him a chance since he uncovered all of Khaos Brigade business and for dealing with those nasty crows who tried to frame you. Still, you should probably expect a visit from one of us soon. Between Rias's actions and this sorcerer, Sirzechs would probably be headed to Earth as we speak if we weren't already so busy."

"What about Kokabiel?" Sona asked, wanting to know where the Maōs stood on that issue.

"We've made contact with the leaders of the Angels and Fallen Angels." Serafall carefully admitted, "But I can't say anymore than that."

" _Understandable."_ Sona disappointingly thought, _"Such meetings are often secret, and since Kokabiel ranks high among the Fallen Angels they'd want to avoid tipping his forces off. Actually, some Fallen Angels might have contacts with the Khaos Brigade, so the news of any meetings between the factions would have to be carefully protected."_

"I suppose it's getting late, isn't it?" Serafall rhetorically asked with a sad expression, "I should probably let you go."

Sona smiled at her sister and shook her head, "No Onee-sama. I have time to talk, if you do."

"Really?" Serafall hopefully asked.

"Of course." Sona said, remembering her promise to keep in close contact with her Onee-sama. "Why don't you tell me about your next episode of Miracle Levia-tan?"

Serafall smiled brightly, as the two sisters continued to talk late into the evening, sharing gossip and reconnecting. Sona's heart couldn't help but swell at her Onee-sama's carefree attitude, completely unburdened with out the horrible events that waited for them in the future.


	14. Season 1, Chapter 6

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona and her sister, Serafall, had wound up chatting till 3 am discussing everything, from the relevant to the irrelevant. Sona had told her Onee-sama a bit about her new fiance including what she knew about his past, his love of alchemy, his hobbies, and a bit of the things she saw in his garden; making sure to highlight on how well he'd fit within the Sitri Clan. What Sona found most odd was that Serafall didn't pout or protest, she seemed strangely curious about the young man who was now unexpectedly engaged to her beloved So-tan. Sona also made sure to ask her Onee-sama about how things were going in her personal life. Serafall was all too happy to talk about the latest episodes of her show "Miracle Levia-tan", and how excited she was about the brand new season of "Magical Girl Milky Spiral". While Sona didn't share her sister's fixation on magical girls, she did promise to obtain a copy of the new season for her Onee-sama.

Once their conversation was over Sona decided retire for the night so she could try to get a few hours sleep before her date later the same day.

" _Let's hope it turns out better than the last_ _date_ _we had."_ Sona thought, recalling the burning of the churches in Oasis.

Setting that memory aside, she finished her bedtime rituals before trying to get some sleep.

There was only one problem.

The Potent Invigoration Potion was truly a marvel.

" _Yet also quite bothersome"_ , Sona disappointingly thought as she looked at the clock that read 6 am.

Sona hadn't slept a wink since her fiance had handed her a vial of Potent Invigoration Potion at 2 am on Saturday morning. That meant that she would have unlimited stamina until 2 pm on Sunday, today. After that the potion would slowly wear off for 8 to 10 more hours, meaning her body would crash from exhaustion some time between 10 pm and midnight. In the meantime, Sona was left with trying to find things to occupy her time. Thanks to 'Osmosis' her homework was done and there was no point in studying since she had memorized her entire scholastic books. Her peerage would still be in the Underworld until later tonight and they'd be exhausted when they arrived, so there was no point in scheduling activities for them.

" _So bored."_ Sona thought as she looked at the clock again.

6:15 am

Truthfully, she did feel a bit guilty about going out on a date while half of her peerage was in the Underworld helping the Maōs round up terrorists. Nevertheless, any regret she felt over her servants having to work while she had fun was quelled when she reminded herself of tonight's mission. She and Ambrose were going to a fundraising event held by the Governor of Kyoto, the nine-tailed kitsune Yasaka.

" _My first diplomatic mission"_ , Sona thought to herself.

She wished she had asked her Onee-sama for some advise; however, it sounded like Serafall presently had enough to worry about. Serafall would no doubt be apprehensive about Sona going into another Governor's territory unannounced, and Sona didn't want to add to her sister's worries.

It was a risky move, technically Ambrose was the one who was invited but his invitation included a guest. Devils have only recently begun to cultivate diplomatic relations with other supernaturals, most notably magicians due to their desire to form mutually beneficial pacts. It was only after the devil civil war that Sona's race had begun to extend an offer of diplomacy to other supernatural races. Due to the devil's past of being duplicitous, it was a hard and difficult process. Many supernaturals had long lives and even longer memories; the devil race's past transgressions were not so easily forgotten or forgiven.

" _I'll just have to rely on Am-chan's good relations with the Yōkai, since devils aren't very popular."_ Sona thought to herself.

Sona's sister, Serafall Leviathan, had the difficult responsibility of handling all foreign affairs but few supernatural powers wanted anything to do with devils. The devil race didn't have many enemies, aside from the Angels and Fallen Angels, but the state of foreign relations with other supernaturals were so poor that Serafall didn't have too much to do. It allowed Serafall to filled her time by creating her children's show 'Miracle Levia-tan'. In spite of the difficulties in improving the diplomatic relations of the devil race, Sona had paid attention to the lessons in diplomacy that her sister had taught her.

" _I should probably go over my lessons in diplomacy with Am-chan."_ Sona thought as she checked the time again.

6:30 am.

" _To hell with it."_ She thought and teleported over to her fiance's home.

It was quiet when she arrived, but she knew her lover hated boredom as much as she did. Following her hunch, she went to his lab where she found her fiance pouring water from an antique kettle into a cauldron.

"Good morning." Sona greeted Ambrose with a smile.

"Good morning, my love." Ambrose smiled back as he set the antique kettle down.

"I saw that kettle on your relic display." Sona said after recognizing the antique, "Why are you using it to create potions?"

"Oh, this?" Ambrose asked, gesturing to the ancient Chinese kettle. "It's the Kettle of Plenty, the only one in existence. Do you recall my trip to the Bayankala mountains?"

Sona nodded.

"The reason I went there was to authenticate this as the actual Kettle of Plenty." Ambrose said, holding the antique up for Sona's inspection, "The kettle produces jusendo water; water that is magically charged and is very useful in creating potions by increasing the potency of potions and elixirs. In fact, magically charged water is almost a requirement for certain potions, like the Phoenix Tear Elixir that heals all wounds."

"Is that why you got into a fight with Saffron Phenix?" Sona asked.

"Yes. The Phenix Clan is the only known producer of the Phoenix Tear Elixir, but the elixir isn't made solely from their tears, it's only the active ingredient. Jusendo water is used as a base so that the pure phoenix tears aren't diluted when added, it increases the volume of the tears with out reducing the potency. The Bayankala Mountain was the only natural source of pure jusendo water, and Saffron was living there to secure it solely for his Clan's use. He wasn't too happy when he found out that I had an alternate and portable way to create jusendo water, so he attacked me to ensure that his clan remained the only provider of the magical water."

"So when the Bayankala Mountain was destroyed the Phenix Clan lost their source of this magical water. Is that why production of the Phoenix Tear Elixir is so low?" Sona wondered, "Because they don't have access to the magical jusendo water to increase the volume of pure phoenix tears?"

"Probably." Ambrose replied, "It is possible to artificially create water with the same magical properties, but the process is costly and time consuming. The Kettle of Plenty is a marvelous enchanted object that gets around that limitation. Simply pour regular water in it, and jusendo water comes out of the spout."

"Are you making Phoenix Tear Elixir?" Sona excitedly asked, wondering if he could provide it to her clan. _"Father would love to get a reliable source of Phoenix Tear Elixir for the hospital. We could cut the Phenix Clan out entirely."_

"No, the main active ingredient, pure phoenix tears, are very rare and I don't have access to a supplier." Ambrose replied as he began adding ingredients to the cauldron.

"So, what are you making?" Sona curiously asked as she peered into the cauldron.

"Procreation Enhancers, designed to guarantee conception." he replied while adding a few ingredients to the cauldron.

Sona's eyes widened in surprise, "Will it work on devils?"

"Of course." Ambrose said with a firm nod, "While I knew about the low birthrates of the devil population, I didn't realize your people were creating harems in order to increase their numbers. This will work on all supernaturals, including devils, but I think you and I should wait until we finish college before we plan on having children." he finished with a teasing smile.

"I appreciate that." Sona said with a smile of her own while rolling her eyes.

While Sona was glad that he seemed eager to start a family, she was gratified to know he didn't want to start one right away. _"Too much to do in the meantime. Still, the Procreation Enhancers would be in high demand. Hopefully Am-chan would be willing to provide some for my family's hospital."_

She then noticed the large number of vials that that were boxed and stacked neatly to the side. "Are all these Procreation Enhancers?"

"Yes, I'm going to provide a sample for the charity ball tonight." Ambrose explained while stirring his potion, "Tonight's event is to spread awareness in order to help save the Yuki-onna race, whose population is even lower than yours. This potion will definitely help get their numbers up, and quite honestly I could use a bit of good will from the Yōkai in order to make it through the evening."

"What do you mean?" Sona hesitantly asked. "I was hoping you'd be the popular one, considering devils aren't that favored."

"While I may be popular within the Magician's Council for the creating the cure for lycanthropy, it hasn't earned me any favors from the Yōkai." Ambrose clarified.

Sona's eyes widened at that admission, "They think you're out to turn them into humans?"

"The sad thing is that 'the cure' actually does turn Yōkai into humans." Ambrose admitted with a grimace.

"What?" Sona questioned, her eyes narrowing, "What do you mean, 'it turns Yōkai into humans?'"

"The cure for lycanthropy does much more than I let people know. 'The cure' does nothing more and nothing less than turn a supernatural humanoid into a normal human." Ambrose explained as he continued to work, "However, the first rule of alchemy is 'equivalent exchange'. Most people attribute that to meaning 'To obtain something of value then something of equal value must first be given'. While that is true, it can also be interpreted as 'that which can be done with alchemy can be undone with alchemy.' Anything my 'cure' can do can be undone with the proper alchemic formula. I can cure lycanthropy, and I can also curse someone with it with the right formula."

"Do you have that formula?" Sona curiously asked. "Can you curse someone with lycanthropy?"

"I can, and I have a number of other formulas as well." Ambrose admitted as he added ground red toadstool to the potion, causing a puff of blue smoke to rise up, "Just as my cure can turn most supernaturals into humans, I can also create an elixir that can turn a human into supernaturals, though I haven't figured them all out yet. I've discovered potions that makes werewolves, vampires, magicians, djinns, fae, dryads, mummies, and a zombies. As you know, various other races have their own method for turning humans into one of their kind; werewolves and vampires being the most prominent example, but mermaids also are able to turn humans into one of their own with a magical kelp. Devils too, since they use **[Evil Pieces]** to turn others into their own race."

"Please tell me this 'cure' doesn't work on devils." Sona pleaded, _"I swear, if he shows me another vulnerability to the devil race I'm going to lose it."_

"Probably." Ambrose reluctantly admitted, "But I imagine that the **[Evil Pieces]** would prevent such a change from occurring. I won't be able to know for sure with out examining them."

Sona narrowed her eyes in frustration at her fiance, then summoned three of her remaining evil pieces, her **[Rook]** , **[Knight]** , and a single **[Pawn]**. She all but slammed them onto his table, startling him.

"Are there any other big secrets you want to tell me? Something else that could threaten my entire species?" Sona demanded.

"I don't know off the top of my head." Ambrose hastily explained, "It's not like I have a list of 'things I have yet to tell my fiance'. Besides, 'the cure' is just as much of a threat to magicians as it is to everyone else. My people would lose their minds if they knew that magic could be granted to or taken away from whomever they chose. There would be no more first born magicians, they wouldn't allow it and a civil war might break out."

"So the reason you haven't shared the formula to create the cure is so that others don't use it as a weapon, and the rule about only selling it on the night of a new moon is a ruse?" Sona reasoned, "Designed to keep people ignorant that the cure to lycanthropy turns any supernatural into a human?"

"Exactly." Ambrose replied with a smile, "I also make them wait two weeks before I administer the cure in order to test people for other supernatural capabilities. If someone who took the cure suddenly couldn't use magic then questions would be raised."

"Wait, that means that one of your potions could actually grant someone the use of magic who doesn't have that ability already." Sona astonishingly realized. "Tomoe, my **[Knight]** and Saji my **[Pawn]** have almost zero magical talent. Would that potion help them?"

"I call it 'The Witches Brew', and yes it would grant anyone, even a normal human, the capability of using magic." Ambrose explained as he started bottling his last batch, "What's interesting about it is that it breaks the 'natural talent' barrier. While you're great at water based magic, you probably don't have much talent in fire magic. What this does is unlock those barriers; you'll still be extremely talented in water based magic but won't be limited in other branches. But why stop there? I also have a potion for Djinn and Fae, you could use that to supplement your own magic and the magic of your peerage."

Sona was astounded by the implications, her entire peerage could be augmented and enhanced.

" _My own powers could reach even greater heights."_ Sona realized in awe, _"Fairy magic is extremely potent, and Djinn magic is a class all on its own,_ _they're practically magic incarnate_ _."_

"Alright, I'll take a complete set for my peerage and me." Sona 'requested' with a smile.

"Equivalent exchange, my love. What will you give me in return?" Ambrose teasingly quipped.

"My silence in regards to what your 'cure' actually does." Sona replied with a devilish grin.

"Ouch." Ambrose said, dramatically holding his hand over his heart.

"How about I make you my official sorcerer." Sona offered, "We could form a pact which would make you apart of my Clan."

"I thought I was already 'officially' yours." Ambrose said flirtatiously.

Sona blushed, but didn't relent, "You'd also be granted access to resources only available in the Underworld. Who knows what kind of concoctions you'd create."

"Very tempting, but what would you want in return?" Ambrose asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You." Sona softly said brushing her lips against his.

"I'm already yours." He softly whispered in return, "How much more of me do you want?"

"All of you." Sona breathlessly said before she claimed his lips.

* * *

The city of Kuoh has its own 'China Town', though to be more accurate it was merely an alleyway that's so small cars couldn't even drive through it. It has been part of the Kuoh for around 150 years, but today only a few actual Chinese people lived there. The little alley was filled with grocers with imported goods, curio shops that sold tacky souvenirs, but Sona and Ambrose were currently enjoying dim sum in one of Kuoh's China Town delightful restaurants.

"You know, I've never seen you eat so much, even post-coitus." Ambrose said while unsuccessfully trying to hide his smile after Sona had ordered an extra basket of steamed shrimp dumplings.

Sona gave him one of her patented looks, "You know dumplings are my favorite. Don't tease me."

"But you love it when I tease you." Ambrose innocently replied.

Sona blushed, but couldn't decide if she wanted to scold him or take him home so he could 'tease' her again; she settled for changing the subject. "You should probably eat up too, you don't want to go to tonight's event with an empty stomach."

Ambrose nodded in agreement, "True, despite the high cost per plate, most of the food at these events are terrible. It must be why it's always served in small portions."

"It isn't just that." Sona remarked after finishing a shanghai dumpling, "It's unseemly to eat an excessive amount of food at a high class event, in fact it's considered so undignified that eating a normal amount of food is considered inappropriate. You should arrive at these events with a little appetite so you can 'socially' eat."

"That's pretty good advice," her fiance replied, "Who taught you that?"

"My mother." Sona sourly admitted, not willing to get into that topic. "This reminds me, we should probably go over some of the diplomatic skills my sister taught me."

"Oh, that sounds good." Ambrose commented, "What did she teach you?"

"Well, first is to always think before you act." Sona said, recalling her sister's lessons and listing them out. "Next is to stay focused on the purpose of your mission. You also have to use clear and unambiguous language, and never be confrontational or use an aggressive posture. Be sure to avoid sensitive topics, don't interrupt or allow yourself to be interrupted, and always stand your ground."

"That's actually pretty good advice, if you're trying to build friendly relations." Ambrose replied after swallowing his dumpling.

"Isn't that what we want to do?" Sona wondered.

"Being on friendly terms is all well and good." Ambrose said, "But all it does is create 'fair-weather' friends, not allies you can call on when things get tough. Also, we don't have the time needed to create actual diplomatic ties with the Yōkai."

"So, what do you suggest?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We go into business with them." Ambrose explained, "Devils don't have strong diplomatic ties to the Yōkai and the Yōkai definitely don't like me. Thankfully, they don't have to like me to go into business with me, they only have to trust that my potions work as promised. There's going to be a lot of money donated to the Yuki-onna cause, and I'm going to show up with an actual solution to increase the Yuki-onna population. That means there's a potential deal to be made and someone's going to want to get in on that deal so they can get a cut of the money that's being raised."

"So, we find someone who has the purse strings and appeal to their wallet?" Sona reasoned out loud. "That might work."

"The trick is that we're going to have to make a deal with out appearing as if we want to. If you appear too desperate you've already lost." Ambrose explained, "This is why I'm going to donate a few of those Procreation Enhancers ahead of time, just a few to get the right people curious so they'll seek us out."

"So who's this mysterious person we're going to make a deal with?" Sona asked before she ate a mushroom dumpling.

"Either Governor Yasaka or the leader of the Yuki-onna." Ambrose replied after taking a drink of his tea. "I'd prefer to work with the leader of the Yuki-onna because kitsune are rumored to be quite crafty, negotiating with her might be tricky. Devils make contracts, so you should be good at negotiating, right?"

"Not exactly." Sona embarrassingly admitted, "Most of my contracts are low level. Helping with homework, doing small favors, occasionally dealing with an angry spirit. I don't believe I've ever done anything as large as you're suggesting. There's also the fact that devils don't really negotiate anymore. Due to our poor reputations and being constantly accused of 'cheating' we mostly use a magical device to calculate what would be a fair exchange."

Ambrose gave Sona a disappointed look, "Your race established a price ceiling? Sona, everyone negotiates, not just for contracts but for diplomatic and economic reasons as well. By not even teaching young devils the art of negotiating puts your race at an extreme disadvantage. Aren't you all trading with other supernatural races?"

"No, not really." Sona timidly admitted. "We don't have anyone to really trade with aside from magicians but that's on an individual level."

"No wonder your diplomatic relations are poor." Ambrose replied in surprise, "Being friendly is fine and all, but good trade is better at building bridges. Negotiations are key for trade, and trade is key for good diplomatic relations. Who's bright idea was it essentially eliminate negotiations for creating contracts and handicap the future of your race?"

"The Maōs." Sona mumbled, embarrassed that her species was being called out for creating such an obvious oversight.

"Okay, let's focus on 'the lost art of negotiations'. There are a five rules you should know." Ambrose explained, "First is that you never go into a negotiation with out leverage. When you're doing a contract, you automatically have leverage because you have something that the other person wants. That's all leverage is, knowing what someone wants or doesn't want. When doing normal negotiations you might not have something of value, and it's nearly impossible to make a deal with someone when you have nothing they want."

"Makes sense." Sona replied before eating another dumpling.

"Second is probably something you're not familiar with doing. Devils, as I understand it, want to complete contracts since it's a source of power. However, with these kinds of negotiations you should never be afraid to walk away from a bad deal. It's better to have no deal than a bad one." Ambrose continued, "Next is to be adaptable. You're not going to get exactly what you set out for, but if you keep an open mind then you might find an opportunity to get something unexpected. Never be afraid to change the deal if it means you get something better."

Sona nodded along as she finished off another shrimp dumpling.

"Fourth is to deliver what you promised. I'm not an expert on the history of devils, but I believe that's where some of your bad reputation came from. A person isn't going to make an agreement with you if it's truly terrible for them. They may have little choice but to agree to it due to circumstances, but ultimately it's up to each person to decide if a deal is worth it. A deal only truly turns bad if you fail to deliver on what you promised."

"And the last rule?" Sona curiously asked.

"Have fun." Ambrose said smiling, "Negotiating is a game, and the goal is to get the most of what you want while minimizing the cost."

"How about I let you handle the negotiation." Sona embarrassingly suggested, "I'm ashamed to say that you might have a point with devils restricting ourselves in negotiations."

"Alright." Ambrose relented, "We should probably head out and go shopping for your dress."

"Actually, I think it'd be best if I went shopping on my own." Sona said, secretly wanting to surprise her fiance, "I'm also going to get my hair done as well."

"Shall I get the check?" Ambrose offered.

"No, let me get an order of egg custard tart before we leave." Sona sheepishly replied to Ambrose's amusement.

* * *

All her life Sona had never really felt beautiful. When she was young, people would say she was cute, or perhaps 'adorable' in a way Sona felt was condescending. As she got older people would comment that she was pretty, but in 'a book worm sort of way'. She never held the attention of others like Rias did; Rias was the beautiful one, the one who charmed all the boys by simply existing, the one who could melt hearts with a smile.

" _And that isn't even considering the 'bust' comparison."_ Sona crisply thought while considering that sensitive topic.

And so, growing up, Sona felt like there was no point in competing with Rias in terms of beauty; something her mother was all too eager to critique her on. Sure, Sona kept up her appearance for appearance sake; her hair was never too long, her nails were always clean and cut short, and she never allow herself to appear slovenly.

" _But dressing up to impress others?"_ Sona privately thought, _"Why bother? It wasn't as if I was going to turn any heads."_

But like everything else in her life, all that changed the moment she met her fiance, Ambrose. The first day she met him she found herself dressing up specifically to impress him. She'll never forget how he looked at her that night, it was the way he still looks at her. His blue eyes look at her as if she were the only thing beautiful in his world, and in his presence she felt alluring, desirable, and breathtaking.

It was because of this that Sona decided to go all out and really try to impress her fiance. She had found a lovely evening gown while shopping. It was black with purple lace, backless but with straps on the side so she wouldn't have to rely on her small breasts to help keep it up. After getting her measurements the tailor promised her that it would be ready later today, and Sona left to a Hair and Beauty Salon. Sona normally had her hair cut at any place that was convenient, but this was truly a pampering experience. Sona had been worried that her hair was too short to do anything with, but her stylist, Yuki, said she had nothing to worry about as she served Sona an espresso with a heart drawn into the foam. Yuki also seemed to have an eye for gossip as she deduced that Sona appeared to have 'become a woman' recently and would do her part to ensure that Sona impressed her man. Once Sona's hair was washed, trimmed, styled, and layered, she was then escorted to the manicure station where more gossip was being traded. Though Sona never kept her nails long, they did need to be cut; however, the manicurist filed them down, put a gloss on them, and added a bit of nail art to the ring finger on Sona's left hand. After leaving a big tip for a job well done, Sona went to pick up her dress from the tailor before heading home to see what the final result would be.

Sona stood in front of the full body mirror in her apartment, staring at a stranger. The person who greeted her on the other side of the mirror was not the Sona Sitri she recognized; this person was elegant, enchanting, and provocative.

" _Am-chan, you won't know what hit you."_ Sona thought with a very satisfied smile.

* * *

One of Sona's biggest pet peeves was being late for anything; she strived to be punctual and precise with almost everything she did in life and abhorred tardiness. Sona never understood her mother's concept of 'fashionably late', and hated how her mother would make the entire family late while she finished her makeup before every event the family was dragged to.

So when she received a knock on her door at precisely 5:50 pm, she was gratified that her fiance shared her punctual nature.

" _He's a time traveler, of course he's punctual"_ Sona reminded herself.

She opened the door to greet her fiance and was quite impressed at the sight that greeted her. Ambrose was never sloppy, but she had never seen him wear a tuxedo before. He wore a lovely evening wear black Italian tuxedo and vest with a purple cravat and boutonniere that matched her dressed perfectly.

" _Forget the party, I want him all to myself."_ Sona selfishly thought.

"How do you do that?" Ambrose asked, breaking Sona from her thoughts and observations.

"Do what?"

"Make me fall in love with you all over again." Ambrose smiled and handed her a corsage that matched his boutonniere. "I've never seen a more beautiful sight."

Sona bashfully accepted the flowery arrangement on her left wrist, but honestly she wanted nothing more than to kiss him senseless.

" _Sadly, that would ruin my makeup."_

"You're rather handsome yourself." Sona remarked as she inspected his long fringe crimson hair and smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle in his suit. "I'm tempted to keep you all to myself."

"But I'm already your sorcerer." Ambrose reminded her with a grin, "So long as you're my devil."

"I'm more than just your devil, I'm yours completely." Sona reminded him as she softly kissed his lips. "We should probably head out, if we stay alone any longer and I doubt we'll ever make it to the party."

"Wouldn't that be terrible?" Ambrose joked as he took her hand before pulling out the invitation to the charity ball. He then activated it with a bit of magic which magically transported them to Kyoto.

Sona and Ambrose then appeared at Mount Kurama, the location of Kyoto's Yōkai village and the Temple of Governor Yasaka. The village was filled with many different types of Yōkai denizens; Snake like Hebi, Badger Mujina, Raccoon Tanuki, and more. They had all made their homes and shops along the winding street that went up the mountain to the Temple where tonight's charity ball for the preservation of the Yuki-onna race was held.

"Have you ever been to Kyoto before?" Ambrose asked Sona as they walked up the twisting street.

"Once, when Rias and I first arrived." Sona admitted as she took in the village's night life, "When we first came from the Underworld we had to meet Yasaka so she could gauge our overall intention for arriving on Earth. Have you?"

"No." Ambrose replied as they cleared the village and made their way to the Temple, "I fall under the jurisdiction of the Magical Council, so I didn't have to seek the Yōkai's permission to come here. This is a first for me." he said as they reached the town's summit where the Temple of Yasaka laid.

The city of Kyoto had a public Temple of Yasaka that the normal humans went to; however, the temple that the actual nine tailed kitsune lived in was more of a castle from the Sengoku period of Japan. It looked quite different than the last time Sona had been here. The entire palace was decorated in all of its splendor, alight with a spiritual glow; the large pathway, now congregated with other guests, was lined with floating blue flames. Fireworks began to burst in the sky as the couple approached a well dressed Karasu-Tengu who checked their invitations at the gate and admitted them in.

It appeared as if the center of events was not going to be held inside the palace, but instead in the courtyard where there was a variety of activities for the well dressed guests to enjoy. There were games and gambling, where the winnings would be donated. Off to the side there was a charity auction where the wealthy had donated items to help raise money to aid the Yuki-onna population. Yōkai performers were displaying acrobatic feats and various species of magic users were creating stunning illusions to the guest's delight. Towards the rear of the courtyard there was a small lake where a floating gazebo held a musical band with a mermaid as their lead singer.

"Well," Ambrose said as he and Sona looked around in wonder, "What shall we do first?"

"No gambling." Sona firmly stated.

"It's for charity, and we could have fun practicing our card counting skills." Ambrose replied with a smile. "Just kidding." he said when Sona sent him a disapproving look.

"How about we have a look around first." Sona suggested, "We're suppose to be here to make future contacts."

With a smile, Ambrose offered his arm and escorted her through the stylish event but as they made their way through the crowd he began to frown. "Look around at the people here, tell me what you see."

Sona took a moment to glance around. Setting aside all of the distracting sights and instead focusing on the various Yōkai, Sona saw something quite familiar. Well-born, upper-class individuals who were there to be seen. She doubted any of them actually cared about the plight of the Yuki-onna's low birth rate, they were simply there because it was this season's event. They would donate their money, wine and dine themselves, and then gossip about the event until the next social occurrence.

" _Quite like_ _high-class_ _devil society."_ Sona privately thought.

"I see a bunch of vacuous people who are too drunk on either saki or their own opinion of themselves to really be able to help us at all." Sona softly said so as not to be overheard.

"Exactly, they're here to only serve their own egos." Ambrose said as he lead her along through the sights, "These people don't organize events, they rally behind them. We need to find the designers, the organizers who are no doubt inside the palace."

"Up there." Sona said, gesturing towards the palace where a balcony of VIP guests could be seen mingling. "It seems the entrance to that area is restricted." Sona observed with a frown as she saw the kitsune and karasu-tengu sentries standing guard at the palace doorways. "I hope you're not thinking of something that's going to get us kicked out."

"Of course not." Ambrose replied and then sighed, "Hopefully someone saw my little donation and will seek us out."

"That isn't a guarantee that we'll be invited up there later." Sona reminded her fiance.

"True, but if that's the case then they'll probably reach out to me at a later date. Besides I really don't want to be one of those people who are desperate to be noticed by the elite." Ambrose said with his distaste lacing in his voice, "We don't want to appear like everyone else here."

"What do you suggest we do?" Sona asked as they passed a group of intoxicated patrons obnoxiously laughing.

"Let's do something that no one else is doing; enjoy each other's company." Ambrose replied as he lead her to the floating gazebo. "Care to dance?"

"But, no one else is dancing."Sona protested but was silenced when her fiance gave her a wink.

" _Maybe that's the point."_ , Sona thought.

With a bashful smile, she accepted her fiance's offer and the pair stepped out alone onto the gazebo. It was a bit daunting to be the only ones out on the dance floor, even the singer was a bit surprised. The mermaid's surprise soon turned into a pleased smile and as her song wound down she began to sing specifically for the young couple as they began a slow ballroom dance. The practice lessons they did during the winter in Oasis paid off as the couple spun and dipped across the dance floor. Soon the thoughts of other people faded away as they foxtrotted across the gazebo. Sona especially enjoyed slinking down her fiance's body after he lead her into a cuddle pose.

But their time alone wasn't meant to last, as when most people set a trend others will inevitably follow. Soon the dance floor was crowded with other couples who wanted to be seen, and so the young couple quietly made their way to the refreshment area.

After thanking her fiance for the cool drink, Sona took a moment to look around her. She had personally never cared for these types of events. She knew the correct decorum, her mother had certainly drilled that into her head, but it was always a chore to attend these functions. Her mother would drag her to every one of these events and would remind here that this was 'something that one must do' and 'Maō forbid we miss out on any gossip'. But as Sona took a sip of her drink, she realized that she was actually having a good time.

" _Just like when I played a duet with Am-chan."_ , Sona realized as she recalled how she disliked her piano lessons, _"Perhaps it's the company that makes all the difference."_

"So, what now?" Sona asked as she looked at the dance floor full of people.

"Let's check out the auction," Ambrose suggested, "Perhaps we can get a souvenir."

Sona nodded, and together they traveled across the courtyard, collected an auction paddle and took a seat. All in all, she felt this event was rather boring, but could understand why Ambrose was fascinated. He held archaeological treasures in his home that would no doubt sell for a lot.

" _If he ever dared to part with them."_ Sona privately thought.

Unfortunately, Sona didn't share Ambrose's passion for mystical artifacts and was about to suggest they leave when her fiance made an unexpected bid.

Curiously, she looked ahead to see what caught his attention, only to see it was an ancient bracelet in the shape of a blue serpent, but with a missing head.

"What are you doing?" Sona whispered, "You realize that bracelet is incomplete."

Ambrose shrugged and gave her a secret smile, "I wanted a souvenir."

" _What's so special bracelet."_ Sona realized as her fiance bid for the bracelet a second time.

In the end, her fiance was now the proud owner of a rather unremarkable and incomplete bracelet. Not only was the serpent missing a head, but it appeared as if there were other pieces missing from it as well, it was merely a blue scaled ring.

" _At least he didn't spend an obscene amount of money."_ Sona thought.

"Tell you what, let me make my payment for this bracelet and then we can head out." Ambrose tiredly offered.

"What about trying to make friends with the organizers here?" Sona asked.

"If they were really interested we'd have been pulled aside by now." Ambrose disappointingly said, "Besides, they have my potions so they might make an offer to me sooner or later, assuming they're interested. Besides, it's getting late and my Invigoration Elixir is wearing off."

Sona checked the time and saw that it was 9 pm. While her dose would cause her to crash somewhere between 10 pm and midnight, Ambrose had obviously taken his before her.

"Alright, let's get you to bed." Sona said after Ambrose had wrote a check and collected his bracelet.

Linked arm in arm, the pair made their way to the exit before they were intercepted by a well dressed kitsune who politely bowed before them.

"Excuse me. My mistress, the Lady Yasaka, has requested that you join her for refreshments." the kitsune attendant said to them, though it didn't sound like a request.

" _Just as we were leaving."_ Sona thought, but knew it would be rude to decline such an invitation.

"We'd be happy to join her." Sona replied.

"Please, follow me." the attendant said and led them into the palace.

The VIP area was set up high on a balcony which overlooked the courtyard. There were far less boisterous individuals here that were moving around in a desperate attempt to be seen. Instead, the well-to-do crowd in the VIP area were lounging around in small groups, quietly conversing with one another. Sona's eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw who had gathered; Magari the leader of the Nekomatas was quietly chatting with Nurarihyon the leader of the Yōkai from the East Faction. The First Monkey King, Sun Wukong, seemed to be having an intense conversation with a man dressed in shisengumi uniform.

Sona and Ambrose were escorted to an elevated platform hidden by a screen where the Governor, Yasaka, was sitting alone drinking saki. Yasaka, the nine tailed kitsune, lounged comfortably with her black and yellow kimono open at her shoulders and her large abundant breasts almost spilling out. Her golden hair, normally tied up in a ponytail, cascaded down over her bare shoulders. Overall, Sona thought that Western Leader of the Yōkai gave off the appearance of someone who had been excessively drinking, but she reminded herself that kitsune were quite cunning. Their escort introduced them to Yasaka, who was then waved off and Sona and Ambrose soon found themselves alone with the Governor of Kyoto.

" _Is she waiting specifically for us?"_ Sona wondered while mentally bracing herself, _"If this was going to be a casual conversation then it_ _would_ _be in public."_

"Sona Sitri," Yasaka pleasantly said with a smile, "I hadn't realized you were coming in your sister's stead. I would have invited you to join us sooner, but you seemed to be having such a wonderful time dancing that I didn't want to spoil it for you."

" _Onee-sama was invited?"_ Sona thought, feeling foolish that she had avoided bringing up the topic with her sister.

"Thank you, Lady Yasaka," Sona respectfully replied, "But my Onee-sama isn't aware I'm here. I'm here accompanying Ambrose Dragon-Slayer."

"Oh, so you _**are**_ on a date," Yasaka giggled and looked at Ambrose in surprise. "and with the alchemist too? You're not what I expected." she said seriously as she appraised Ambrose.

"What were you expecting?" Ambrose curiously asked with a playful smile.

"Something different." Yasaka evasively replied while not returning his smile, "You were invited as a courtesy, but I didn't expect you to actually come, nor did I expect your 'extra donation'. Three vials of a Procreation Enhancers that's guaranteed to ensure conception? Very generous. But why would I, a Yōkai, trust a concoction made by someone who cures lycanthropy?"

"You believe you have cause for concern because I cure lycanthropy?" Ambrose asked for clarification.

"Do I have cause for concern?" Yasaka innocently asked.

"Frankly, yes." Ambrose replied.

" _Am-chan, what are you doing?"_ , Sona thought in alarm, _"Didn't I warn you to avoid sensitive topics?"_

All trace of decorum was instantly erased from the kitsune's face. "Excuse me?" she asked as her eyes narrowed.

" _She's not drunk at all."_ Sona realized as the kitsune sobered instantly before her eyes. _"_ _It was a feint,_ _and Am-chan caught her off guard_ _."_

"Would you rather I lie to you and give you false assurances?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow, "Or would you rather I tell you the truth and you can find security in that?"

"Go on." The nine-tailed kitsune cautiously replied.

"You're worried that this cure might affect kitsune, correct?" Ambrose asked for clarification and received a nod in reply. "The truth is that 'the cure' just might, but I don't know for certain as I've never allowed it to be used on one of your kind. My aim is to cure a curse, not eliminate entire species."

"Why are you telling me this?" Yasaka asked suspiciously, "You realize that this 'cure' of yours could be a threat to my race, perhaps even all Yōkai. I cannot allow it to exist."

"That's exactly why I'm telling you this." Ambrose patiently replied, "You realize that this **must** remain secret and no one can know what it might do. Now consider the lengths I've gone to in order to keep it a secret. I don't sell it to governments, orders, corporations, groups, or in lieu of other people. Each dose is sold to an individual and they must go through a lengthy process in order to acquire it. There's a minimum two week waiting period, and signing up for it requires an examination to ensure that the individual is actually cursed with lycanthropy. They then have two weeks to change their mind before they're scheduled to show up at my shop on the new moon where they take another examination to verify their curse again. After the second verification they're given their cure, which must be taken on the premises, and then submit to a third and final examination to ensure that they're no longer afflicted by the curse."

"As for why I'm telling you, I want you to scrutinize the entire process." Ambrose admitted. "I'm offering to make my shop in Paris available to one of your servants who can oversee the entire process. If you find any irregularities or vulnerabilities, please let me know. In fact, I might consider letting one of your servants manage the shop so you can be assured that not one vial is misused."

" _Am-chan is using his cure as leverage against her."_ Sona realized, watching the negotiation unfold, _"She can't ignore him now, all she can hope to do is counter him somehow."_

Yasaka pondered for a moment before she curiously asked. "If one of my servants managed your shop, what's to stop me from shutting your entire business down?"

"Shutting my business down won't prevent my cure from existing. All it will get you is three hundred cursed individuals a month asking why they can no longer be cured." was Ambrose's reply. "I'd have to take my business underground."

Yasaka paused and fiddled with her empty saki bowl for a moment as she considered the offer, "So I get to oversee and ensure that this 'cure' is not misused. What do you get out of it?"

"The seal of approval from Yasaka the Eastern Yōkai Faction Leader." Ambrose said with a smile, "And a lucrative contract in supplying Procreation Enhancers to the Yuki-onna."

"Hmm." Yasaka reflected on the offer, "Assuming your Procreation Enhancers works as advertised."

"I stand by my work, if the directions are followed." Ambrose unwavering replied. "In fact if both partners take the elixir then they might have twins or even triplets. The instructions also offer a method to increase the chance of one's preferred sex of the child up to 75%."

The kitsune raised her round eyebrow in surprise, "This charity event is raising money for research in order to find a cure, but you might have actually brought one to us. Since I'm in charge of the funds, I could see to it that you were granted an exclusive contract to provide an actual cure to their problem." Yasaka replied, "For 30% of the sales."

"You're already making a percentage for overseeing and administering the funds that have been raised by tonight's charity event, 10%." Ambrose counter offered.

"The Yōkai who live under my protection only pay 20% in taxes." Yasaka replied with an amused smile, "You won't get a better deal than that, take it or leave it."

"I'll leave it." Ambrose said returning her smile with his own, "I can always go to the magician's alley in Tokyo and get a much better rate. In fact, I could probably set up a shop there and sell my 'cure' with out your oversight. While Japan doesn't have a large population of werewolves, Russia certainly does. There will be people who'll choose to come to Japan rather than travel to Paris. That's 300 tourists every month who will stay for a minimum of 2 weeks, eating in restaurants, staying in hotels, buying souvenirs; that's a lot of tax revenue."

"15%." Yasaka firmly stated, "But you set up your business here in Kyoto and I get 15% of all sales in form of taxes, not just from the Procreation Enhancers."

"Deal." Ambrose pleasantly replied, "So long as I have the ability to fire any of your servants working for me, should they not meet my own standards. If that happens, you are to provide an alternative."

"Agreed, but before you set up shop I want to make sure this potion of yours works on the Yuki-onna." Yasaka amended, "Give me 10 additional doses and come back to see me in 9 months."

"I'll agree to the 10 additional doses, but I'm very busy." Ambrose replied, "How about we meet after the summer break? That would be far enough along to ensure the viability of the future Yuki-onna children."

"Very well, I believe we have an accord." Yasaka replied with a delighted smile. "And here I thought this event was going to be boring. Are you certain he isn't one of yours?" the kitsune raised a round eyebrow and asked Sona.

"He's my sorcerer." Sona replied with a proud smile, feeling quite pleased with the turn of events. "And fiance."

"Fiance? Fu fu fu, not only have you delivered a cure to the Yuki-onna's problem but also this delicious piece of gossip." Yasaka amusingly giggled. "Why don't we celebrate with a cup of saki?"

Sona was about to decline before realizing it would appear quite rude to do so. "Very well, but one cup since we're both under age."

Yasaka gave a delighted smile and poured three cups of saki in small elaborate bowls before offering them to two to the teens.

"Kanpai!" Yasaka cheered, raising her bowl up.

"Kanpai." Sona and Ambrose replied before everyone clinked their bowls together and downing their saki.

"Well now, why don't the two of you stay up here and join us for dinner." Yasaka said, "There's all sorts of interesting people to meet, and I'd like to keep you around so I can introduce you to Tsurara Shirayuki, the leader of the Yuki-onna."

"We'd be delighted to, is there a particular table we should sit at?" Ambrose politely asked.

"Oh, don't worry about that." Yasaka pleasantly waved off his concern, "Just go and mingle till I find Tsu-chan; she can be so shy."

Sona and Ambrose smiled and thanked Yasaka for her time before leaving the enclosed private area, they stood there for a moment watching the crowd mingle but Sona was more focused on what just happened.

 _"Am-chan not only negotiated a huge contract with the Governor of Kyoto, but created a stronger relation through economic means than the devil race ever did with friendly overtures."_ Sona thought in amazement.

"We should definitely stay until we're introduced to the Yuki-onna leader, Shirayuki-san." Ambrose said as he gazed around the crowd, "See anyone important we should talk to in the meantime?"

"I think that's Sun Wukong, the First Monkey King over there." Sona said, pointing out the short old man smoking a pipe.

"Bikou's ancestor?" Ambrose asked for clarification.

"Yes, but I'm not sure who he's talking to. They appear to be having an intense conversation, so we probably shouldn't interrupt them." Sona said, gesturing to the man wearing a shisengumi and straw hat.

"Who's the little girl drinking saki with that group of kappa?" Ambrose wondered.

"I believe that's Magari, the leader of the Nekomatas and she's not a little girl." Sona explained, "She's rumored to be over 800 years old."

"Good to know." Ambrose commented, glad to avoid that faux pas.

Sona was trying to figure out who Sun Wukong was speaking with when her train of thought was interrupted by Nurarihyon, the leader of the East Yōkai Faction.

"Well now," the old man with the gourd shaped head cheerfully said, "Looks like someone bought that piece of junk bracelet I donated to get in this shindig."

"Junk?" Ambrose asked in surprise, "Are you sure about that?"

"Well, it's junk by itself." Nurarihyon replied with a chuckle, "It's only single piece of five. The entire set got lost or something. Oh, forgive my manners, I'm Nurarihyon."

"A pleasure to meet you. This is Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri Clan. I am Ambrose Dragon-Slayer."

"Oh, the alchemist?" Nurarihyon asked in surprise, "What brings you here?"

"Oh, you know, we just wanted to attend the social event of the seasons." Ambrose unconvincingly replied, "I wanted to get my lovely fiance a souvenir, but you say it's junk?"

"Well, not exactly junk." Nurarihyon admitted, "Just incomplete. You see, it's the bracelet of Tiamat, but don't let that old dragon know or she'll hound you till the ends of the earth."

"Oh?" Ambrose asked, "Any idea where the rest of the pieces are?"

"Oh, possibly France or Egypt, but it's rumors mostly." Nurarihyon admitted, "I know the head piece was in the possession of Prince Herb of Musk Dynasty, used to wear it as an amulet around his neck. Of course, Herb died and the Musk Dynasty is no more, so it's probably in the possession the Joketsuzoku who looted everything else the Dragon Prince had."

"Now that's interesting." Sona admitted, while giving her fiance an accusing look.

Ambrose simply gave her a secret smile.

"If you're thinking about completing the bracelet, then good luck to you." Nurarihyon advised with a chuckle, "No one has seen the crowning jewel, a large sapphire which fits in the mouthpiece of the missing dragon head."

"Well, who doesn't love a good puzzle?" Ambrose replied before he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me." said a youthful woman with purple silver hair wearing a white kimono with a purple sash. "Are you him? The alchemist Ambrose Dragon-Slayer?" She asked as the lollipop in her mouth shifted to the side.

"I am."

"Thank you." She gratefully replied, "My name is Tsurara Shirayuki. I represent the Yuki-onna. What you've done for my people… I can't thank you enough."

"It's quite alright." Ambrose replied with a smile, "I have a vested interest in increasing the low birthrates of certain supernaturals, so I've been working on the Procreation Enhancers on my own."

Sona couldn't help but blush at the admission.

"Am I hearing this right?" Nurarihyon asked, "You have an elixir that helps increase the fertility of Yuki-onna?"

"I didn't want to say anything until after the Yuki-onna tested it for themselves." Ambrose admitted.

"Perhaps you'd like to help us test it." Tsurara flirtatiously offered, "My daughter Mizore would love to meet you."

"Sadly, Ambrose is already taken." Sona possessively said as she hugged her fiance's arm possessively.

"Such a pity, fu fu fu." Tsurara teased, "We have so few fertile girls to offer."

"So long as the individual isn't elderly then the elixir should be effective on them." Ambrose replied with a smile, "I see no reason why the elixir wouldn't work on you."

"What? You mean I could have another child?" Tsurara astonishingly realized.

"Another one? Why not two or three more?" Ambrose suggested with a smile.

Tsurara gave a beaming smile. "Excuse me, I have to go see Yasaka" she hastily replied, "And then go see my husband."

"Ho ho ho" Nurarihyon chucked, "Seems like you're becoming more popular among the Yōkai. Tell me, my boy, would this elixir of yours work on other Yōkai?"

"I designed it for supernaturals in general, why?"

"Well, the Yuki-onna aren't the only Yōkai who are underpopulated." Nurarihyon said, "Would you be willing to make your elixir available to other Yōkai?"

"Once the Yuki-onna verify the elixir works, then I'll have permission to set up a shop here in Kyoto." Ambrose explained, "The Procreation Enhancers won't be limited to just Yuki-onna, it'll be made available to anyone."

"Something tells me you're going to become quite popular with the ladies." Nurarihyon chuckled.

Sona did not share in his amusement.

"Well, we'd love to stay and chat; however, it's a school night." Sona said, "We probably should be leaving."

"Oh, that's a shame." Nurarihyon said with a frown, "Well, I hope to see your shop set up soon, young man."

Ambrose and Sona smiled and bade farewell to Nurarihyon before making their way to the exit. The Potent Invigoration Elixir was beginning to wear off; Sona was starting to feel a bit tired so she knew her fiance must be exhausted. She knew he must be feeling tired because Ambrose didn't protest when she suddenly suggested they leave, in fact she could begin to see weariness on his face.

"That was quite an eventful evening." Sona commented in satisfaction, "Not only did we build a strong relation with the Yōkai, but you made a very profitable deal."

"Yes, I'm going to be extremely busy." Ambrose tiredly replied. "I can't imagine how I'm going to fill an order of an additional 300 doses of my cure on top of the large amount of Procreation Enhancers."

"Don't you have a 'Vladimir Cauldron' to automatically brew the cure?" Sona curiously asked.

"I do, but the ingredients are the problem." Ambrose explained, "While I can grow all the organic ingredients, I still have to transmute all the inorganic compounds. That takes time, a lot of time."

"Can't you buy them on the open market?"

"I could, but I'd have to increase the selling price." Ambrose admitted, "The main problem with purchasing the ingredients I need are the people who want to figure out the formula to my cure. I have no doubt that someone will become curious if I suddenly start making large purchases for ingredients, especially after making a deal to open a new store."

"Well, it's a good thing we recently made a pact." Sona said with a pleased smile, "You now have access to goods produced in the Underworld, and you can make purchases in the name of my Clan. I doubt your competitors would be expecting that."

"That's… that's excellent." Ambrose said, his eyes wide in realization, "That'll actually free up a lot of my time."

"Good, because I can think of a few things I'd rather you be doing with your newly found free time. Why don't you stay with me tonight?" Sona offered with a flirtatious smile, "I've been having trouble sleeping without you next to me."

"I'd like that." Ambrose admitted smile of his own, "But won't that cause problems with your peerage?"

"You let me worry about my peerage." Sona coyly replied, "You're my sorcerer and fiance, and that's all that matters."

* * *

High up on a balcony of Yasaka's palace, a figure wearing a shisengumi outfit and straw hat watched the young couple as they magically transported themselves out of Kyoto for parts unknown. He activated a magical communication circle which rotated around his ear before someone on the other end answered.

"Souji?" a voice on the other end asked, "How did your meeting with Sun Wukong go?"

"Not good." Souji replied, his face still hidden, "The old monkey doesn't know where his great-grandchild is; he also didn't seem willing to help me find him."

"Shame." the voice replied.

"That's actually not why I'm calling." Souji said, "You'll never believe who just showed up at tonight's event."

"Who?"

"Guess." Souji playfully replied.

"Souji, you have no idea how busy I am at the moment." the voice tiredly said.

"Little Sona Sitri, with that alchemist everyone's been talking about." Souji responded. "Boss, you've got to see this kid. He looks just like..."

"I heard." the voice interrupted.

"Hearing about him one thing, seeing him is another." Souji replied, "They just left, but I might be able to follow them."

"No." the voice firmly stated, "I already have someone watching over them."

"You sure she can handle this?" Souji worriedly stated.

"Don't worry about that." the voice replied, "Just tell me what you saw."

"Both of them were escorted into the VIP section and brought directly to Yasaka. Apparently he made a deal to sell an elixir to help cure the Yuki-onna's infertility. I over heard him saying it could work on all supernaturals, maybe even devils."

"Really?" the voice replied in surprise, "Come back immediately and give me a full report."

"Sure thing, Boss." Souji replied.


	15. Season 1, Chapter 7

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona groggily rose with the dawn, her body and mind protesting against waking from the comfort of being in bed with her lover. Nevertheless, going back to sleep was not meant to be as her mind quickly began to catalog everything that the new school week would bring.

" _Today is going to be a good day. No fights, no drama. Just a nice party where I can introduce my fiance to my peerage."_ Sona thought with a smile as she roused her fiance, Ambrose. "It's time to get up."

"Hmm?" He sleepily replied, "What time is it?"

"Early enough for you to leave with out raising Tsubaki's suspicions." Sona said, reminding him that they had to keep up appearances.

"We should just move in together already." Ambrose sleepily replied as he nuzzled into her and began to trail feather light kisses on her neck.

"We can't." Sona said regretfully, referring to both his desire to live together and his morning desire for her. "Officially we've only been a couple for a few days."

Ambrose groaned in disappointment, yet still rose from bed.

" _Zut alors_ , it's early." he exclaimed after checking the time.

"I have to be at school before the other students, and Tsubaki comes early each morning so we can have breakfast before we leave." Sona reminded him, "I suspect she'll be even earlier today in order to brief me on what's been going on in the Underworld since we turned over Diodora Astaroth to the Maōs."

"Give me an update later on that situation?" Ambrose asked as he began to dress.

"Why not come back after Tsubaki arrives so we can all have breakfast together?" Sona suggested as a pleasant compromise. "That way you can be here when she reports to me."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll bring breakfast." Her fiance replied before giving her a kiss and then teleporting back to his home.

" _I suppose it'll be alright_ _if Am-chan brings_ _breakfast_ _today_ _so_ _Tsubaki_ _won't_ _have to cook an extra portion_ _."_ Sona thought, _"_ _That way she can arrive earlier for her debriefing_ _."_

After texting her **[Queen]** to let her know of the changes to their breakfast routine, Sona went about her morning rituals. Between her responsibilities with her peerage, school, and her work with Ambrose she realized that lately she had very little time to enjoy herself with one of her favorite hobbies, baking.

" _Today's the day Ambrose will officially meet my entire peerage after school. It must be absolutely perfect."_ Sona thought, realizing that they can now be more public with their relationship, _"I think I'll make a few cupcakes for our little gathering."_

Filled with a sense of purpose Sona began her preparations on what would surely be at tasty treat for her fiance and her peerage. _"They've worked so hard these past few weeks, it'll be nice to give them a bit of a reward."_

"Please excuse the intrusion." Tsubaki respectfully said as she let herself into the apartment. Sona had just finished filling the baking cups with the batter as Tsubaki entered the kitchen, unaware of her **[Queen]** 's eyes widening in shock as she saw what her **[King]** was was up to. "Kaichō, you're baking."

Sona turned to greet her best friend, pleased that her efforts would be finished in time for school. "Yes, I thought the peerage has earned a bit of a reward for all their hard work. Not only have you all put in a lot of effort in training, but I hear the Maōs are very grateful for all the work you've done for them."

"I see… Um.. thank you… " Tsubaki replied as Sona went to put the last tray in the oven.

Sona closed the oven, turning around just in time to see Tsubaki frantically texting on her phone.

"Something wrong?" Sona curiously asked.

"N-Nothing Kaichō." Tsubaki hastily replied, "Just making sure everyone is prepared for the day."

Sona smiled, satisfied that her **[Queen]** always took her duties seriously. "Am-chan should soon be here with breakfast."

"I take it your date went well?" Tsubaki asked, changing the topic.

"It was a little more than a date." Sona admitted, feeling a little guilty for having fun while her peerage was hard at work. "We went to a yōkai charity ball for the yukii-onna. While we were there Am-chan managed establish a working trade relationship with Governor Yasaka. I'm hoping it will help strengthen diplomatic ties between the Devils and the Yōkai."

"Sounds like you both have been busy." Tsubaki commented with a small smile, "Did everything go well with Gremory-san?"

"Rias is now the proud master of this generation's Sekiryūtei." Sona informed her **[Queen]** , "He took up all eight pawns."

"That is amazing, but using all eight on a single individual seems like quite the risk; especially for someone like Hyoudou." Tsubaki remarked, "And the nun?"

"Argento declined." Sona replied as she continued to clean up the dishes. "She was inspired by Am-chan who uses his magic to heal other people while still close to me, despite not being a devil. Having her around could prove useful since her **[S** **acred** **G** **ear** **]** , **[Twilight Healing]** , can heal devils."

"Oh dear, does my **[King]** have competition?" Tsubaki teased with a small smile.

"Certainly not." Sona said with far more confidence than she felt the other day. "They have nothing in common."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation further, "It's probably Am-chan, would you mind getting it?" Sona asked as she finished cleaning the last few dishes.

"Hai." Tsubaki dutifully replied.

"Good Morning Fuku-Kaichō." Ambrose cheerfully greeted the **[Queen]** while carrying a brown bag.

"Good Morning, Ambrose. Please, call me Tsubaki when we're away from school and the rest of the peerage." Tsubaki requested.

"I'd be happy to. After all, we both have the same job, don't we?"

"Oh, what job is that?" Tsubaki curiously asked as she lead the alchemist into the dining area.

"Taking care of Sona." Ambrose replied with a wink, causing Tsubaki to smile.

"I heard that." Sona playfully remarked as she came out to greet her fiance, still wearing her apron.

"I thought I was making breakfast." Ambrose commented as he sniffed the air. "Y-you're baking?"

"Thought I would do something nice for everyone." Sona said, feeling pleased with herself. "So I decided to baked a few cupcakes for us to enjoy after school. You're invited too Am-chan, you can meet the rest of my peerage after school today."

"Great..." Ambrose said trailing off before clearing his throat. "In the meantime, I've brought eggs, yogurt, fruit, and the pièce de résistance: pain au chocolat."

"It looks delicious." Sona commented as her fiance set the table.

Tsubaki nodded along, though with some reservations.

"Something wrong?" Ambrose asked the **[Queen]**.

"No, it's just I'm more used to a traditional Japanese style breakfast." Tsubaki commented, "Though this does look good."

"I haven't had much time to settle in and learn Japanese cuisine." Ambrose regretfully admitted.

"I could teach you, if you'd like." Tsubaki politely offered.

"Well then, I look forward to your lessons." Ambrose replied with a smile.

"I filled Tsubaki in on what we accomplished yesterday at the charity ball." Sona mentioned as the three sat around the breakfast table and began to serve themselves. "Tsubaki, would you mind if I debriefed you on your weekend during breakfast?"

"Not at all." Tsubaki said in between bites. "Momo, Tomoe, Tsubasa and I successfully arrived in the Underworld and discretely made our way to see Maō Leviathan without attracting attention. After informing your sister of the situation she then called for a secret meeting of the Four Great Satans, where we recounted what had happened. Maō Beelzebub was especially surprised that we had Diodora Astaroth in custody; however, he didn't protest or proclaim his nephew's innocence."

"It took a few hours to explain everything about the Fallen Angels; their attack on the humans, the extraction of **[Sacred Gear]** s, their attempt to frame both peerages, and discovery of the Khaos Brigade." Tsubaki continued, "We nearly forgot about the fliers and their vulnerabilities until Maō Leviathan read the letter you gave me. That included another round of questions followed by a demonstration. Diodora was then questioned in front of the Four Great Satans and they were able to extract a list of Khaos Brigade members. After a quick discussion the Maōs came up with a plan and conscripted the four of us to help them. Momo was sent to the archives to retrieve summoning fliers from all the different Clans, including the 33 Pillars. After that things became a little disorganized." Tsubaki embarrassingly admitted.

"You see, we've only practiced summoning from within our own peerage and we're familiar with our own magical signatures but distinguishing individuals from other families proved difficult." The **[Queen** **]** explained. "While attempting to summon the Old Satan loyalists of the Khaos Brigade we… occasionally got the wrong family member, including the heads of 33 pillars. Still, even when we summoned the wrong individual the Maōs would interrogate that person. If an individual was found innocent they were drafted into summoning the actual target for questioning and were present to witness the interrogation. It was a chain reaction and Diodora proved to be the weakest link; he gave names and those names gave up others. No one, not even those cleared of wrongdoing, was allowed to leave until the Maōs rounded up as many members of the Khaos Brigade as possible. Eventually the general populous became aware that people were disappearing, a few reports of witnesses watching family members being the forcefully summoned made its way to the news. Realizing a potentially dangerous situation, the 33 pillars began to hide behind their wards; however, the fliers are keyed to their family's magic so their wards proved useless. The clans began to panic and the Maōs were then flooded with demands for answers. Still, the Maōs publicly remained silent while they continued their round up, reasoning that they had to grab as many of the conspirators as they could before the Khaos Brigade realized what was going on or came up with a defense."

"How many members did you manage to get?" Sona curiously asked.

"Eighty-six." Tsubaki replied with pride, "The rest managed to elude us."

"How did they manage to escape?" Ambrose asked.

"They ceded from their clans so their family's fliers would no longer work on them." Tsubaki said with a grin before taking a bite of her eggs.

"That's incredible." Sona commented, "Renouncing their family is a huge blow, they're basically stray devils now and can be killed on sight."

"The Maōs have also increased the bounty on strays who are identified as members of the Khaos Brigade." Tsubaki remarked. "It's believed that they're hiding with the three remaining leaders of the Old Satan faction.

"Three remaining leaders?" Sona asked for clarification.

Tsubaki grinned at her **[King]** and purposefully took an extra long time to slowly chew her food before answering. "We got Shalba Beelzebub."

Sona gasped in delight.

"You couldn't summon or locate the rest of the leaders?" Ambrose asked, remaining focused on the remaining three.

"You wouldn't be able to summon any of the descendants of the original Maōs with the fliers." Sona answered. "The current Four Great Satans, Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, Akuja Beelzebub, and Flabium Asmodeus are now head of those respected clans through the Rite of Conquest. That means the descendants of the original Maōs are clan-less, they've lived as strays for centuries. Hence, clan magic of the summoning fliers no longer works on the original decedents. That being said, how did the Maōs manage to get Shalba Beelzebub?"

"A little bit of luck." Tsubaki commented, "As it turns out, Diodora Astaroth is a complete toady and was quite familiar with the location and layout of Shalba's hide out. Since we knew where he was, yet couldn't forcefully summon him, the Four Great Satans stormed Shalba's fortress with their entire peerages."

"The four great peerages to apprehend Shalba Beelzebub? That seems a bit like overkill." Sona stated in surprise.

"He did have a number off followers with him, but I believe the original plan was to take him alive." Tsubaki said after finishing a bite of her chocolate pastry, "They wanted to make a strong show of force hoping that he would surrender and give up the location of his co-conspirators. Instead he chose to take his own life rather than allow himself to be captured."

"So they've hit a dead-end as far as rounding up the other leader's of the Old Satan faction." Ambrose reasoned. "What about the other factions involved with the Khaos Brigade? The magicians and decedents of heroes?"

"The Maōs seemed to remained focused only on the Old Satan faction, since an easy solution was presented. We did managed to identify a large number of magicians and several descendants of heroes who are part of the Khaos Brigade; however, the Maōs had us focused on rounding up and interviewing the Old Satan faction."

"Makes sense." Ambrose reasoned, "Magicians and heroes don't fall within the Maō's jurisdiction. Any action against them could be seen as an act of war."

"What about Kokabiel?" Sona asked her **[Queen]** , "Any idea on how they reacted to his involvement and his interest in the Excalibur fragments?"

"No." Tsubaki replied with a shake of her head. "The Maōs were very tight lipped about that. In fact, all information regarding the involvement of the Fallen Angels in Kuoh is deemed classified and we can consider ourselves sworn to secrecy."

"Then it's likely the Maōs are attempting a diplomatic solution with the Fallen Angels." Ambrose concluded. "If the incident with the Grigori in Kuoh became public knowledge then it would sour any potential future relationship between the two factions."

"Onee-sama did say they had reached out to the other factions, but she wouldn't elaborate further." Sona admitted while removing the cupcakes from the oven. "Still, now that the situation has been dealt with, how are the 33 pillars reacting to the Maōs response to the Khaos Brigade?"

"There was surprisingly very little political fallout after everything had settled." Tsubaki replied, "While there was initially a panic when people began disappearing, once Shalba Beelzebub was confirmed dead the Maōs released the news of the potential coup attempt and the subsequent round up of the Old Satan Faction. The Maōs then imposed a nation wide recall for all summoning fliers, making the upgrade to close the vulnerability available to all. After the clans saw first hand how devils could be forcefully summoned they were quite eager to implement the upgrade. With the coup thwarted before it began, the majority of the conspirators apprehended, the flier vulnerability closed, and Shalba dead, the 33 pillars have reacted with overwhelming and unanimous support for the Maōs actions."

"No doubt." Ambrose wryly mused aloud. "There were probably traitors in a few of the 33 pillars clans. Once the Maōs established themselves as the clear victor, the members of the remaining families were probably very eager to distance themselves from any of the conspirators."

"There is that." Sona replied while waiting for her cupcakes to cool, "But remember, devils ultimately respect strength. The Maōs identified a threat, took immediate action and emerged the victor with out endangering the denizens of the Underworld, all while maintaining the stability of the economy and government. Was there anything else to report Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki gave her **[King]** an uncomfortable look and glanced at Ambrose.

"It's alright." Sona reassured her best friend as she topped her cupcakes with icing.

"The Maōs questioned us extensively on you." Tsubaki said, giving Ambrose a piercing look. "Especially Maō Lucifer."

"Sooner or later they're going to want to question you." Sona thoughtfully reasoned as she boxed up the remaining cupcakes.

"That's understandable." Ambrose commented as he finished his meal. "I show up, almost cause a diplomatic incident with the Grigori, and lay a coup attempt at their feet. They're probably mistrustful of my motives, so I hope I'll have earned some trust by the time they come to question me."

"It's more than that." Tsubaki said as she began to clear the table. "I don't believe I was able to fully convince them of who you are. Or rather, that you're not who Maō Lucifer hopes you to be."

"A problem for another time then." Ambrose said, dismissing the Maō's suspicions as unimportant. "Shall we head off to school?"

The three were then interrupted by Sona's phone, which chimed letting her know she had a text.

"It's Rias." Sona said after glancing at her phone.

"Gremory? What does she want?" Ambrose asked with a frown.

" _Here we go..."_ Sona thought, bracing herself. "I need you to go back to your home and get a few samples of the vampiric juice you make, the non-alcoholic variety. Rias has a dhampir in her peerage."

"Really?" Ambrose asked in surprise.

"I told Rias about your plasma juice the day we introduced Argento and Hyoudou to the Gremory peerage." Sona admitted.

"I see." Ambrose said, giving his a fiance a look which stated he saw through her ruse.

"You do need a taste tester, don't you?" Sona rhetorically asked.

"I need a sommelier." Ambrose asserted, "A vampire with a reputation for having impeccable taste in order to provide assurance to vampire nation that the quality of my product is beyond question."

"But until you find such a vampire Gaspar Vladi can help you. I know you still need to find the right amount of plasma juice for an individual serving." Sona explained as she began boxing up her cupcakes. "This way you can at least get the proportions right and find a fruit blend that might please a vampire's palate."

"I've met Gremory's peerage already, why haven't I met this dhampir before?" Ambrose curiously asked.

"He's been sealed." Sona admitted, "He's rumored to be quite powerful and Rias can't really control him. She's probably taking a great risk just to unseal him so that you can meet him."

"Great..." Ambrose said frowning but none the less acquiesced to Sona. "I'll head home now and see you at school then."

"Here, take this." She said, handing him a cupcake as a peace offering.

Ambrose accepted her gift and with a light kiss on her cheek he teleported away.

" _That could have gone better, but it could have also gone worse."_ Sona thought as she and her **[Queen]** left her apartment and began their walk to school.

"What was all that about?" Tsubaki inquired as the pair walked down the side walk.

"I'm trying to get Rias and Am-chan to have a good working relationship." Sona replied, "He's created a tree that produces fruit called plasma fruit. Apparently it's a perfect substitute for blood; however, he needs a vampire to taste test it so he can make high quality juices and wines. Since Rias has a dhampir in her peerage, I thought I could use that to get them working together."

"While I understand Ambrose's reservations when it comes to Gremory-san, I don't understand why you would force them to work together." Tsubaki said as the pair continued to walk to school, "Wanting them to establish a working relationship sounds a bit more complicated than than simply wanting your fiance and childhood friend to get along."

Sona glanced at Tsubaki for a moment, "We believe the Fallen Angels were a scouting party, doing reconnaissance for Kokabiel before he attacks us with the Excalibur fragments that he plans to steal."

"With all due respect Kaichō, isn't that information we should have given to the Maōs?" Tsubaki alarmingly asked.

"We don't have proof." Sona replied, unintentionally letting a bit of her frustration for the entire ordeal to bleed through her tone.

"Then don't ask for help officially." Tsubaki replied, "Tell your sister, she'd listen."

"She'd do more than listen." Sona said, frowning at the thought. "She'd come down to earth with an entire batalion if there was a credible threat to us."

"Do you believe the threat is credible?" Tsubaki asked.

"I do."

"Then you may want to put aside your own reservations." Tsubaki said as the pair entered the school gates, "If you expect Ambrose to put his own prejudice for Rias aside for the sake of this threat, can't you do the same for your own pride?"

For the life of her, Sona couldn't find an answer within herself.

* * *

The student council had gathered after school as usual. Today, however, was different as Sona's cupcakes and a few bottles of soft drinks were made available for a small informal celebration of the peerage's recent success and to welcome the newest member to the Sitri Clan.

"Everyone, it is my pleasure to officially introduce you to Ambrose Dragon-Slayer." Sona said with pride. "Ambrose and I have agreed on a magician's pact, he is now officially my sorcerer and considered part of the Sitri Clan and a member of my family. Please treat him as you would me."

The Sitri peerage politely applauded, welcoming their newest member.

"Since your introduction to the class of 1-A on your first day was a bit awkward, I think it's appropriate to allow you the chance to properly introduce yourself to my peerage." Sona said, teasing her fiance. "After that, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves to him."

He smiled in return at her good nature ribbing. "My name is Ambrose Dragon-Slayer, and yes I have slayed a few dragons before. I'm a sorcerer and alchemist, most known for creating the cure to lycanthropy. Aside from magic and alchemy, I enjoy gardening, cooking, and learning new things."

"I'm Tsubaki Shinra, Kaichō's **[Queen]**. I come from a family who specializes in the cleansing of evil spirits. I'm an expert using the Japanese naginata and hold the **[Sacred Gear]** known as **[Mirror Alice]** which reflects an attack back at an individual doubling the damage. I too enjoy cooking and gardening."

"Momo Hanakai." The white haired girl said as she bowed. "Kaichō's **[Bishop]**. Sona and I have known each other since we were children. My father has had a pact for years with Sona's father. I enjoy romance novels, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement."

A brunette smiled eagerly before introducing herself. "I'm Reya Kusaka, Kaichō's **[Bishop]**. My family can trace their magical lineage back over a thousand years, and I was privately educated in magic by my grandmother. I have a passion for magic and enjoy reading mystery novels."

"Tomoe Meguri." Said a cheerful girl with reddish brown hair, "Kaichō's **[Knight]**. I'm unofficially Kuoh Academy's gossip, so I pretty much know everything that's going on in the school. Like Fuku-Kaichō, my family comes from a line of Japanese exorcists; however, a vengeful spirit laid a curse on me in revenge for being exorcised when I was still in my mother's womb. My parents made a deal with Kaichō to turn me into a devil in order to break the curse, but were exiled from the clan as a result."

"Sorry to hear that." Ambrose replied. "Still, it sounds like they love you very much."

Tomoe smiled pleasantly in response, "They still do good work but they only exorcise evil spirits, just not any devil that happens to cross their paths. I know you dealt with those rouge exorcists at the abandoned church, so I just wanted you to know that not all rouges are bad. Oh, like sweets, kendo, and making new friends so I hope we can get along."

"Tsubasa Yura." The blue hair girl said, introducing herself while sounding a little hesitant. "I'm Kaichō's **[Rook]** , and am an expert in martial arts. I don't have **[Sacred Gear]** , but I was born with an ability to see and feel supernatural beings or phenomena. Kaichō found me after defeating an oni with nothing but my skill in martial arts and extended an invitation to be a devil. Aside from martial arts, I enjoy soccer and baseball."

"She's a tomboy." Ruruko giggled.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Tsubasa blushing said, crossing her arms in defiance.

"Except all the girls fall in love with your bishounen face." Ruruko teased back.

"You take that back." Tsubasa hotly shouted out. "I like boys, damn it!"

Sona cleared her throat, letting the two servants know that now wasn't the time to bicker though she knew there was no malice behind their words, _"They're like sisters, and_ _just_ _like sisters they argue."_

"I'm Ruruko, nice to meet you Am-kun." The young pig-tailed freshman said, forgoing formalities. "I'm Kaichō's **[P** **awn** **]**. Don't let Tsubasa and I scare you, we're actually really close. Tsu-chan has been teaching me martial arts, and I've really been enjoying it. I also enjoy gymnastics and computers."

"Saji Genshirou." The lone male of Sona's peerage said while offering his hand out to shake. Ambrose smile at the familiar gesture shook his hand in response. Saji quickly clamped down on Ambrose's hand, squeezing as hard as he could in an effort to establish male dominance. His face strained at the attempt while Ambrose paid no mind as if Saji's efforts were meaningless.

"Saji..." Sona scolded Saji, disappointed with his antics. "Try to get along. Am-chan is important to me."

While feeling bit disheartened at being scolded and his **[King]** 's familiarity with the new addition, Saji let go and continued his introduction. "I'm Kaichō's **[Pawn]** that's worth four pieces. I also have the Black Dragon King Vrita as a **[Sacred Gear]**. Dragon slayer or not, you're probably no match for a Demonic Dragon." He finished with confidence.

"Actually, Am-chan can use holy magic, which is the antithesis of demonic magic." Sona replied.

"Really? Holy magic?" Tomoe asked in surprise. "Won't you get in trouble with the church for associating with devils?"

"I'm not with the church, nor have I ever been." Ambrose dismissively replied, "It's just a peculiar ability I have, that's all."

"So, does that mean you're going to be joining the student council with us?" Reya excitedly asked, "I'd love to set some time aside to discover what other peculiar abilities you have."

"Unfortunately, he won't be officially joining the student council, his responsibilities for providing the cure to lycanthropy is too important. Despite this, he is considered part of the Sitri Clan, not only because of our pact together but..." Sona paused in embarrassment as a light blush adorned her cheeks, "but because he beat me in chess, officially making him my fiance."

While Momo, Ruruko, and Tsubaki were already aware of this secret, the rest of Sona's peerage didn't disappoint with their reactions. Reya appeared wide eyed and shocked, though she quickly gained a thoughtful look as she processed this new bit of information. Tsubasa was also in shock and it appeared she might have to pick up her jaw off the floor. Tomoe squealed with delight, excited to hear new gossip and happy for her **[King]**. And Saji…

"No!" Saji loudly shouted, completely breaking the mood. The **[Pawn]** dramatically fell to his knees and began pounding the floor with his fist. "It was one date, One Date! How can that be?!"

"Like I said, he beat me in chess." Sona explained, unimpressed by his outburst. "You're probably not aware, but I used to be engaged to another devil. The engagement fell apart after I beat him in chess and he couldn't stand the thought of marrying someone smarter than him. I told my parents that I too was dissatisfied with their choice for my husband because I didn't want to marry someone who wasn't at least as smart as I am. Because of this my parents stipulated that I had to marry the next person to defeat me in chess, and here we are."

"That's the stupidest reason for being engaged that I ever have heard!" Saji loudly protested, "If that's the case then I challenge you to a game of chess, Kaichō!"

"Challenging me now won't change anything, besides do you even know how to play chess?" Sona asked, remembering that her future self beat Saji in two moves on their first game.

"How hard could it be?" Saji unsuccessfully reasoned.

"Saji, don't ruin this for Kaichō." Ruruko said, scolding her fellow **[Pawn]**. "We should be happy for them."

Momo nodded her head in agreement, "Yes, there's no need to be jealous. I'm sure you'll get your own girlfriend someday."

"Some day?" Saji morosely repeated.

" _It seems Saji's crush on me started much earlier than I thought."_ Sona disappointingly realized, _"Perhaps it's better this way. Momo and Ruruko seem to be interested in him. Maybe they'll help him get over it."_

The meeting was then interrupted when a student burst thru the door. "Kaichō, you've got to help. There's a fight in the locker room!"

The annoyance Sona felt at a student suddenly barging in was quickly replaced by alarm that there was a fight going on in her school. "Tsubaki, Tsubasa, come with me." She said as the three hurried purposefully out the council room and down the hallway, leaving the rest of her peerage and fiance behind.

" _Is it another attack? Has Kokabiel revealed himself already?"_ Sona panically thought as she and her three servants raced down the stairs. She abruptly stopped as she entered the changing room, gazing at the scene before her. "I should have known."

There on the ground were Matsuda and Motohama, foaming at the mouth and passed out. There was a third boy who's face was bruised, beaten, and swollen. It took Sona a moment before she realized she was looking at the newly turned devil, Issei Hyoudou. And there, standing next to the three fallen boys was a small unassuming girl with white hair and golden eyes.

"They deserved it." Koneko emotionlessly replied.

Sona glanced at the two human boys, noting that the didn't have any marks or bruises on them. _"Probably passed out_ _in fright_ _when she ripped the locker door of its hinges."_ she thought admiring Koneko's handiwork.

"Go report to Rias." Sona told the **[Rook]** , "Tell her I'll be by to see her in a few minutes after I've straightened all this out. Tsubaki, Tsubasa, wake the other two up and bring them to the student council room. I want to have a little talk with Hyoudou."

"Hai, Kaichō." Tsubaki replied as the two girls woke the pair of perverts up with a slap to the face and escorted them out of the locker room.

"K-K-Kaichō?" Hyoudou hesitantly asked, though Sona wasn't sure if his uncertainty was due to his situation or if he simply couldn't tell who was in the room due to his swollen eyes.

After confirming that the two were alone Sona grabbed Hyoudou by the collar and hoisted him up, slamming him into the locker as his feet dangled, unable to touch the floor. It was a not so subtle display of strength to let him know that he was dealing with a superior devil.

"If you think your association with Rias gives you ' _carte blanche'_ to behave however you want within this academy, then you're going to be very disappointed." Sona hissed in anger. "While Rias may be your master, your revival comes with a debt; a debt you owe to me. You weren't given a second chance so that you can continue to terrorize the female population of Kuoh Academy. From here on out I expect you to conduct yourself as if you were a model student. Do you understand?"

"H-Hai, Kaichō." Issei choke out while miraculously maintaining control of his bladder.

"Now come with me." Sona said, releasing him for her grasp and marching out of the locker room with nary a word.

" _Of all the stupid, irresponsible things..."_ Sona thought as she lead the newly turned devil up stairs to the student council room. _"We just averted a disaster with the Fallen Angels, everyone is still on edge, and now this? Can't I get a break, just for one day?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted at the sight of Tsubaki and Tsubasa standing outside of the student council room door with Motohama and Matsuda, all four hesitating before entering. She took a moment to observe her two servants who were both wide eyed and panicked as she approached them.

"What's going on?" Sona worriedly asked, "Why aren't you all in the club room?"

Sona's answer came from Saji's loud voice, echoing out of the club room. "How the hell can you eat those disgusting cakes?!"

" _Disgusting Cakes?"_ Sona incredulously thought as she silently marched into the club room. Inside she saw Ambrose, sitting on the corner of her desk while casually eating one of her homemade cupcakes. Saji was pointing an accusing finger at him with his back was turned away from her. The rest of her peerage watched on, their eyes widening in alarm as they noticed their **[King]** had silently returned.

"No one can eat those cakes of destruction!" Saji continued to yell, oblivious to Sona's presence. "I have the constitution of a dragon and I can barely choke them down, let alone keep them in my stomach. The last time she made those cakes I was sick for three days!"

Saji's tirade was interrupted by Sona's hand grabbing the top of his scalp in a vice like grip as she bent his neck back in an awkward angle.

"Something wrong with my cakes, Saji?" Sona forebodingly asked while light reflected off her glasses giving her a menacing look.

"K-K-K-Kaichō." Saji startlingly said in disbelief and fear.

"If you don't like my cakes, don't eat them." Sona seethingly stated as she released her grasp on his head. _"One day, I just wanted one day to celebrate with my peerage and fiance, and this is what I get."_

She looked around as her peerage watched her with bated breath, hesitantly waiting on her reaction. Ambrose continued to sit on the corner of her desk with a bit of chocolate on the side of his mouth. She reached out to wipe the bit off his cheek and licked her finger clean.

" _There's nothing wrong with it."_ She sorrowfully noted, holding back her tears. _"Then why… ?"_

"I thought it was delicious." Ambrose said with a comforting smile, sensing her insecurity. "It was unfair of him to say such things with out even trying it."

"You girls like my cakes, don't you?" Sona asked the rest of her peerage with watery eyes, looking for assurance.

"O-Of course Kaichō." Momo replied.

"They're delicious." Ruruko said, "I'd have one but I'm on a diet."

Tomoe made a show of grabbing a cupcake off the tray and then taking an experimental bite. "Mmm… It's… it's good." The **[Knight]** said in wide eyed surprise. "Kaichō, this is really good. The best you've ever made."

"R-Really?" Sona asked, trying to hide the hopefulness form her voice.

"Yes, really." Tomoe said grabbing another and handing it to Reya. "Here, try it."

Reya looked a bit uncertain at first, yet still took a bite; her eyes widened as she chewed. "Oh wow Kaichō, you've out done yourself." She said in amazement.

The rest of the girls quickly gathered around the table, eager to try one of their **[King]** 's cupcakes. Even Ruruko seemed to break her diet to have one in support for her **[King]**. Sona quickly turned around and wiped a stray tear from her eye, overwhelmed with emotion watching her peerage enjoy her confections.

"Kaichō." Tsubaki said, with a cupcake in her hand. "What about the perverts?"

" _Right, I nearly forgot about them."_ Sona realized as she turned to the infamous perverted trio. "Care to explain why you three weren't doing your club duties?"

"The club's disbanded." Motohama confidently said. "According to school rules there has to be at least three students in order for a club to be official. Issei's been accepted into the Occult Research Club, hence no more clean up duties."

" _Damn it, he's right"_ Sona realized to her dismay. "That doesn't excuse your actions for peeping again. Report to the boy's locker room for clean up duty, immediately."

"But there's no club." Matsuda desperately whined.

"Saji will be your third member today." Sona said with a satisfied smile. "He'll be cleaning up along side of you for the rest of the day."

"Kaichō..." Saji moaned in disappointment.

"Would you rather I come up with a different punishment for you?" Sona rhetorically asked, narrowing her eyes.

"N-no, Kaichō." Saji replied, paling dramatically.

"Then get going." Sona suggested.

"Can't believe I'm stuck with the two greatest perverts of Kuoh." Saji grumbled as he ushered two thirds of the perverted trio out of the door.

Sona turned her attention to Hyoudou, his face still swollen so his eyes were practically shut, his mouth and cheeks black and blue from the beating Koneko gave him. _"Not that I can blame her."_ She thought.

"When you were human you were protected from certain forms of punishment, mostly because it would have killed you. Be grateful that you're under Rias's peerage." Sona said, warning the pervert. "If you were a member of my house I'd make sure you'd never make the same mistake again. Lucky for you, your punishment isn't up to me, is up to your **[King]**." She took a deep breath in order to calm herself before she addressed the rest of her peerage. "Tsubaki will distribute your duties while I attend a meeting. Please continue to enjoy the refreshments."

"Hai." Tsubaki dutifully replied, "And Kaichō?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for the sweets." Tsubaki said, holding up her own half eaten cupcake. "They're the best you've ever made."

Sona smiled in gratitude at her **[Queen]** before turning to address her fiance. "Might as well come with me since we're going to see Rias. Do you have the drinks you brought."

"Right here." Ambrose said, gesturing to a duffel bag at the side of the desk.

"Let's go then." Sona said as the three left the student council room.

* * *

Truthfully Sona had no idea what she wanted to accomplish in regards to Hyoudou. She couldn't allow him to continue his perverted ways, but she had her hands effectively tied when it came to punishing him for his actions. Technically he was a member of Rias's peerage and it fell to her to discipline and manage her own members.

" _I just hope Rias doesn't treat this with her usual negligence and lets him off scot-free."_

The Occult Research Club was housed in the renovated old school building, out on the edge of the school grounds. Privately, Sona always felt that having a single club take up the entire building was a bit ostentatious. No other club had so much space, especially one with so few members. With the human population in the dark about the nature of supernaturals, Sona could only imagine the image of having a club of "make believe and fantasy" in such a predominate place.

The trio were then admitted inside the club by Rias's **[Knight]** , Kiba Yuuta who escorted them into Rias's office and sitting room where the Occult Research Club held the majority of their meetings. Rias was at her desk as usual while Akeno was busy preparing tea. Koneko sat at her customary seat on the couch, eating a light snack with Asia Argento who immediately rose when she saw the state of her friend.

"Issei, you're hurt." The former nun said in shock as she rushed to heal the pervert's wounds.

"Ara, Issei." Rias said in surprised as she saw the state of her **[Pawn]**. "Koneko, don't you think you over did it?"

"No." The white haired devil replied in a monotone tone in between bites of her snack, completely ignoring what was going on around her.

"What are you doing here Asia?" Ambrose curiously asked.

"Rias-san said I could join the Occult Research Club, even if I wasn't a member of her peerage." Asia said while healing his wounds.

"Honestly Issei, your first day of school as a devil and you're already causing me so much trouble." Rias disappointingly said.

"Sorry Buchou." Issue muttered between his swollen lips as Asia continued to heal him.

"If you want to see a naked girl so bad you could always ask me." Rias teasingly offered.

"Really?" Issei hopefully asked.

"Issei." Asia grumbled as she pinched his already swollen face.

"Oww, Oww, I'm sorry Asia. Please let go." The pervert desperately pleaded.

"This isn't a joking matter Rias. What do you plan on doing with him?" Sona curiously asked her fellow **[King]**.

"Don't worry Sona, I'll deal with him." Rias said in a placating manner, "As a member of my peerage, he's my responsibility."

"As student council president, I'm responsible for the safety of all the students." Sona reminded her childhood friend, "This isn't the first time this has happened and his actions have already affected other clubs. I had to create a special club just for him and his friends so they would be too busy to cause trouble. The fact that he's now part of your club means that the Kuoh Beautification Club is in danger of being disbanded. I can't have him or his two friends run wild in this school."

"This is a Gremory matter now." Rias firmly replied, "I'll thank you to stay out of Gremory business just as I have stayed out of Sitri business."

"Fine." Sona reluctantly said, yielding to decorum.

"Come on Sona, let's go." Ambrose suddenly spoke up, motioning to the door. "I think we're done here."

"What? Wait." Rias startlingly called out, "Didn't you come here to meet Gaspar?"

"I've recently formed a pact with Sona-Kaichō." Ambrose replied, giving Rias a hard look, "Making me officially part of her clan. As you pointed out, members of one clan typically don't meddle in the affairs of another so I can't imagine that I have any sort of business here."

" _Thank you Am-chan."_ Sona thought with a satisfied smile.

"I see." Rias said in frustration, "Then you both have my word that I will keep Issei busy enough so that he won't have time to peep on any of the school girls."

"And if he does it again, I want your permission to assign him a day of cleaning duty in addition to whatever work you might have planned for him." Sona stated, pressing the matter further.

"Very well." Rias replied, reluctantly accepting the compromise. "If that's all, I'll take you to meet Gaspar."

"Actually, there is one more thing." Sona quickly replied, "Tomorrow is the night of the full moon. I'll be taking Saji to the Familiar Forest."

"I was hoping to take Issei tomorrow." Rias complained with a pout.

"Then I'm calling in one of the debts you owe me." Sona insisted, "Saji's been a devil longer, he takes precedence."

"Fine." Rias replied, frustrated that she wasn't getting her way. "Anything else?"

Sona and her fiance shared a look before she replied. "No, that's all for now."

"Alright then, follow me." Rias said, "Akeno, please take care of Issei for a few hours to ensure he won't bother the student council again."

"With pleasure, Buchou." Akeno excitedly said while licking her lips.

"B-Bu-Buchou, can't I come to meet my fellow club mate?" Issei begged, desperate to delay his punishment.

"Oh, very well." Rias replied as she lead the couple and her peerage upstairs to the second floor. As they walked down the hallway and turned the corner, they came to a room that was not only sealed with magic but also with police tape which read 'Keep Out'.

"Well, that's not dramatic." Ambrose sarcastically commented. "How long have you kept him lock up?"

"It isn't like that." Rias protested against Ambrose's unsaid accusation, "The seal breaks late at night so he can wander around the building while no one is watching. However, he refuses to leave, even when the seal is down."

"So he's a hikikomori." Hyoudou concluded.

"A what?" Ambrose wondered, unfamiliar with the term.

"Someone who's completely shut themselves off from the world, refusing all kinds of social contact." Rias explained. "He still provides service to the peerage, completing contracts with individuals through his computer. In fact, he completes more contracts than all my other members combined."

"Wow, that's amazing. I had no idea computers could do such a thing." Asia observed, clearly impressed. "Issei said he hasn't managed to complete a contract, yet Gaspar can do it without leaving this room."

"It was only once contract." Issei weakly protested, "I'll get the next one for sure!"

Rias approached the door and raised her arms, creating a bright red magical circle that flared around the seal and police tape which then fell away leaving the door bare. "Better let me go in first." Rias said as she opened the door and went in alone.

Soon a girlish shriek echoed throughout the entire building causing the entire group to burst in the room expecting trouble. The room was nearly completely dark; however, a coffin which laid in the center of the room was immediately visible.

"I hope you're doing well today Gaspar." Rias said, ignoring the outburst while addressing the coffin. "I've brought some people who want to meet you."

"No, no, no." A feminine voice cried out from within the coffin. "People are scary, I don't want to meet anyone."

"Come now, don't be rude." Rias replied as she reached down to open the coffin.

Inside was a small blonde haired girl wearing a Kuoh Academy's dress. Her tearful pink eyes fearfully stared at the people who entered her room.

"Hot damn, another cute girl! And this one is a blonde haired beauty." Issei shouted in delight causing Kiba to snicker.

"What's so funny, Kiba?" Issei said, angry that someone might be making fun of him.

"This is my **[Bishop]** , Gaspar Vladi who is a freshman at Kuoh Academy. He's actually a boy." Rias replied while protectively wrapping her arms around the frightened young dhampir.

"He likes to cross-dress." Akeno helpfully added.

"He was born a half vampire and half human before I turned him into a devil." Rias explained, "Gaspar, this is your new peerage member and my **[Pawn]** , Issei Hyoudou. And this gentleman here is Ambrose Dragon-Slayer, Sona's magician. Ambrose came he because he wants to meet you."

"He looks like you, Rias-san." Gaspar observed with tears still in his eyes, causing Ambrose's face to twitch in annoyance at the accusation.

"Oh, you think so?" Rias cheerfully asked.

"But he's kind of scary." Gaspar concluded as he looked at Ambrose's irked face.

Sona gently elbowed Ambrose, causing him let the comment go with out complaint.

"Sorry if I scared you." he contritely said.

"Wait, wait, wait." Issei said, interrupting everyone. "Can we go back to the part where this cute girl is a guy?"

"You think I'm cute?" Gaspar innocently asked.

"What, no!" Issei protested, "Guys aren't suppose to be cute!"

"So, I'm not cute?" Gaspar disappointingly asked with tears in his eyes.

"Gah, listen. You're suppose to be a man. And men aren't suppose to be cute." Issei loudly proclaimed in frustration while reaching out to grab the half-vampire.

"Gaahhh!" Gaspar screamed and everything was suddenly silent.

* * *

Gaspar tightly closed his eyes, blocking everything out. He hated these moments 'in between', the moments where everyone and everything was completely frozen. As much has he wanted to be alone, he couldn't take the petrified faces of everyone staring accusingly at him, but most of all he couldn't take the silence.

"Wow, this is awesome." a voice suddenly said, breaking the stillness.

Gaspar turned around, astonished to hear something at all and received a bigger shock to see one of his unwanted guests completely unaffected by his **[Sacred Gear]**.

"You're not frozen like the others." The half-vampire couldn't help but observe aloud.

"Did you do this?" Ambrose asked with a smile.

"I'm sorry, I just got so scared." Gaspar tearfully replied.

"No, no, this is great." Ambrose said while turning his attention back to the frozen group of people, waving his hand in front of their suspended faces.

"You.. you think this is great?" Gaspar asked in disbelief.

"Sure, imagine what you could do with this. You could get all your homework done in an instant, or read an entire book." The older male laughed, "You could even take a nap and no one would ever know."

"I… I guess." Gaspar admitted, having never thought of that.

"You could probably pull off a few pranks with out anyone knowing as well." Ambrose suggested with a smile, "That would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know, I don't want to get in trouble." Gaspar hesitantly replied.

"Here, let me show you." Ambrose said, walking up to Gaspar's whiteboard and grabbing a dry-erase marker.

Gaspar watched as he walked up to Rias's newest **[Pawn]** and wrote "Pervert" in kanji on Issei's forehead. The dhampir couldn't help but giggle at the ridiculous look on Hyoudou's face and suddenly he didn't look so scary anymore.

"Here," Ambrose said, holding the marker out to Gaspar. "You try."

"Okay." Gaspar timidly replied and took a moment to look at everyone's still faces before an idea popped in his head. Barely suppressing a grin, he walked up to his fellow classmate, Koneko, and drew a set of whiskers on her cheeks. He couldn't help but giggle at the sight; however, his momentary elation cause his concentration to slip and the spell of his **[Sacred Gear]** was suddenly broken.

* * *

"What the hell?" Issei yelled as he was suddenly left grasping at air.

Gaspar was left staring at Koneko's whiskered face, surprised that his spell was suddenly broken while holding a marker in his hand which made him the clear culprit.

"Please don't get mad Koneko!" Gaspar tearfully pleaded.

"Ara, what just happened?" Asia wondered aloud. "He just appeared in front of Koneko."

"It's the **[** **Forbidden Balor View** **]**." Akeno stated.

"His **[Sacred Gear]** is dubbed 'The Evil Eye of the Inert World'." Rias helpfully explained. "When he's in distress the world around him stops for a period of time."

"You realize that's an illegal move in Rating Games." Sona observed with a frown, unaware of the **[Bishop]** 's power before now.

"I know." Rias admitted, "But right now he really can't help it. He's unable to control his power, which is why Maō Lucifer has ordered that he be sealed away until he can learn to master it."

"I hope you're not disobeying Maō Lucifer by allowing me access." Ambrose said, frowning at the thought of upsetting a Maō while they were likely already suspicious of him.

"It's alright. Maō Lucifer has given me special permission so that I could introduce you two." Rias confidently stated.

" _That's strange."_ Sona couldn't help but think. _"Why release the seal now if he still can't control his power? Perhaps it's just another instance of Maō Lucifer spoiling his sister."_

"Ga-kun." Koneko emotionlessly said, unaware of her new whiskers, "Why do you have a marker in your hand?"

"Issei, your forehead!" Asia exclaimed while pointing at the perverted **[Pawn]**.

"What? What's on my face?" Issei wondered while staring upwards as if he could see his own forehead.

"It says pervert." Akeno giggled, "How appropriate."

"Did you do this?" Issei barked at the young **[Bishop]** who coward in fright.

"I did that." Ambrose admitted, interrupting the potential argument. "I was having a bit of fun with Gaspar, isn't that right."

The vampire hesitantly nodded in agreement.

"Having fun with Gaspar?" Rias asked in confusion. "You weren't frozen with the rest of us?"

Sona's eyes widened in shock. _"He's immune."_ She realized, _"The **[Master Key]**."_

"No." Ambrose admitted, "So I took the opportunity to play a little prank on Issei."

"What did you do to my face? Get me a mirror?" Issei demanded.

"This is Vladi-kun's room." Sona reminded him, "Vampire's cast no reflection, so why would there be one here?"

"Ara, but doesn't Koneko-chan look cute with her whiskers?" Rias observed while hiding her own giggle.

"You drew whiskers on me, Ga-kun?" Koneko accused, narrowing her eyes causing Gaspar to whimper in fear. "Do I have to get the garlic out?"

"I did that." Ambrose convincingly replied, "I just handed him the marker and encourage him to try out a prank of his own."

Gaspar quickly turned his head to Ambrose, surprised that he would take the blame for his actions.

"It's was just a joke." Ambrose said to the small white haired girl. "Sorry if it upset you."

"Oh, but she does look cute with those whiskers." Issei admitted.

"Gross." The **[Rook]** said, while smudging the marks off her cheeks. "I don't want the pervert's attention."

"Here, let me help you." Akeno motherly replied as she knelt down to wiped the younger girl's cheeks off with her handkerchief.

"So, Gaspar, what do you think about making a contract with me?" Ambrose asked, getting down to business.

"What kind of contract?" Gaspar meekly asked.

"Let me show you." The alchemist replied with a smile as he opened his bag and handed the young vampire a juice box. "Here, try it."

Although nervous, Gaspar reached out to take the white juice box that had the numbers '80/20' written on it and inserted the straw before taking a cautious sip.

"It's… It's good!" Gaspar astonishingly said.

"Really? Do you like it?" Ambrose hopefully asked.

Gaspar didn't answer, but enthusiastically nodded his affirmation while continuing to drink.

"Looks like your hard work has paid off, Ambrose." Rias said with a smile.

"PFFTTTTTT!"

Their observation was disrupted by Koneko, who had grabbed a juice box from Ambrose's bag to take a drink of her own. She apparently didn't care for the taste as she promptly spit out the contents... all over Hyoudou.

"Oh, disgusting." Issei complained, while red juice had stained his white shirt and dripped down on the floor.

"Your face is disgusting, and so is this juice." Koneko groused as her nose wrinkled in disgust. "It taste like blood."

"It's artificial blood, made specifically for vampires." Ambrose explained, "I genetically engineered a plant which grows plasma fruit. From that I made this juice with other fruit blends. I need Gaspar's help to find flavors that a vampire might like, as well as the correct amount of proportions to use so it's still nutritious."

"It's fake blood?" Gaspar asked, looking at the white box. "Why is it's warm?"

"Fire fruit." Ambrose explained, "Since most vampires drink blood from humans I put a bit of fire fruit in it so that it's warm enough to be enjoyable."

"I've never had it warm before. I've always had it cold, from blood bags." Gaspar admitted while pointing at the refrigerator.

"What I'd like for you to do is drink solely from the juice I provide and keep a spread sheet on what you think of it. How it tastes, how well it satisfies your thirst, as well as marking down how often you drink them and how many boxes you consume." Ambrose explained to the dhampir. "Also, if you can think of other kinds of fruits that might taste good with this drink then let me know. Think you can help me out?"

"You mean, I might never have to drink blood again?" Gaspar said in bewilderment.

"Is that a problem?" Ambrose asked with a bit uncertainty.

"This… This is wonderful!" Gaspar said in amazement. "I hate drinking blood! I hate the smell, it's so gross. I only drink it when I absolutely have to."

"Vampire trash." Koneko commented aloud.

"Ah, Koneko's being mean again." Gaspar cried out.

"Gaspar, does this juice smell bad?" Ambrose curiously asked, interrupting Gaspar's weeping.

"Eh?" Started by the question, Gaspar forgot about his tears and took an experimental sniff of the juice. "It smells different, not gross at all. It's kind of sweet."

"This blend you're drinking now is 80% plasma fruit and 20% fire fruit." Ambrose elaborated, "The other juice boxes have different proportions as well as additional flavors like apple, grape, watermelon."

"That sounds delicious. And you sure that I'll never have to drink blood again?" Gaspar happily asked.

"That's the goal, but I'll need your help to get it right." Ambrose explained, "Here, let me show you how the spreadsheet is laid out. We can use your computer."

"I think everything is well in hand here." Sona said as she watched her fiance and the dhampir begin to settle in and go over the details of their contract, "If it's alright, I'd like to return to my peerage so I can oversee their training."

"Ara, I guess that means it's time for Issei's punishment." Akeno giggled in excitement.

"What? Really?" Issei complained while the word 'pervert' was still written on his forehead.

"Come along Issei, don't make me wait or you'll regret it." Akeno promised with a sinister grin.

"I'll come along too and give you support Issei." Asia supportingly offered.

"Issei." Rias called out before they left, "Come report to me when Akeno is finished with you. You still haven't completed a contract of your own."

"Hai, Buchou." Issei replied with his head down in shame.

"Come on Sona, I'll walk you to the door." Rias offered.

* * *

As the pair of childhood friends made their way to the door, Rias couldn't help but frown that their relationship has become so strained as of late. They used to get along so well with each other, but now it seems that she has to mentally prepare herself lately since every meeting between the two has become uncomfortable and terse if not boiling down to an argument.

" _Not that I'm completely blameless."_ Rias admitted with a light frown marring her features.

"Did you really get Maō Lucifer's permission unseal Vladi-kun?" Sona asked, breaking Rias from her thoughts.

"Yes, I spoke to him early this morning." Rias replied, "Don't worry Sona, neither you, your fiance, nor I will get in trouble for this."

"I see." Sona commented as the pair reached the door. "Before I go, please do me a favor and try not to antagonize Am-chan. He can always find another vampire to test his product on, you need him more than he needs you."

Rias nodded and watched her friend leave before returning to her desk in hopes that she might sit for a moment and gather her thoughts on all that had recently transpired. Although she hated to admit it, Sona was right; she needed Ambrose, desperately.

At first it was solely about her engagement, and her desire to be free of it. After failing to find a solution for years, Ambrose comes out of no where with clear proof that he was capable of defeating not only a Fallen angel, but also a Phenix. It wasn't until she did her own background check on the Dragon-Slayer did she realize that the egg he held was the remains of the previous head of the Phenix Clan, Saffron. Unfortunately, any effort she made on her part to get on his good side seemed to always backfire, turning Ambrose further and further away from her.

It was after the incident with the stray devil where Ambrose's importance in Rias's life took a distinctively different turn. It happened in an instant, barely a moment, but Rias was certain Ambrose use the Power of Destruction to annihilate the severed hand of the stray devil Visor which threatened to maul her face. Later that night she did something she promised herself she would only do in the most extreme emergencies; she contacted her older brother Sirzechs Lucifer and told him everything.

Although concerned about the presence of the Fallen Angels in Kuoh, Sirzechs reminded her that they had yet to attack any devils. He advised her to remain on her guard but not to start any trouble unless they attacked first. However Sirzech's attitude drastically changed as soon as she told her brother about the alchemist, the holy power he displayed, and then showed him a picture taken during Koneko's reconnaissance. It was probably one of the most difficult conversations she ever had with her normally carefree older brother, who suddenly turned decidedly serious and wanted to know everything about Kuoh's new arrival.

Reluctantly, Rias told him about their first meeting and subsequent misunderstanding, as well as everything else that happened. From the remains of Saffron Phenix, to summoning the spirit of a dead Fallen Angel, and finally the potent holy power that emanated from him as he tortured the spirit and then threaten to use it in retaliation for Rias's own actions against him.

To say that Sirzechs was alarmed to hear of the threats against his beloved sister would be a complete understatement, but he was also very disappointed in Rias's plot to forcefully turn someone into a devil against their will and scolded her fiercely.

He then grew quiet and thoughtful after for a moment before replying, "First thing's first, this information from the Fallen Angels and rouge exorcists is troubling. While I can try to solve things on my end, I can't guarantee to provide a solution before they attack. You should probably be prepared for the worst."

"The Dragon-Slayer has agreed to deal with the problem in exchange for a date with Sona." Rias said with bitter amusement.

"That's good." Sirzechs said with a small nod and smile. "At least he doesn't hate all devils by sheer principle."

The fact that she was the devil Ambrose hated caused her to finch.

"Onii-sama, I'm certain he used the Power of Destruction against the stray devil. How can a single person have both holy and demonic power, not to mention a power held exclusively by our relatives?" Rias asked with confusion. "Holy and demonic energy are not only polar opposites but they annihilate each other on contact."

"I don't know, not for certain." Sirzechs admitted, "I only have theories at this point, but I need more information." he said, giving her a look which impressed the importance of the situation. "Find a way to mend your relationship with him and tell me everything you learn, what's he like, what other powers he has, and most importantly what kind of **[Sacred Gear]** he has."

"Do… do you think he could be Millicas?" Rias asked in disbelief. "We never did find his ... his body."

"I can't say for certain, but I intend to find out." Sirzechs resolutely replied.

Rias was then left with the task of getting close to a man who not only had absolutely no trust in her, but actually seemed to loathe her. The fact that he could very well be her long lost nephew made it even more distressing. Things were especially complicated as she couldn't approach him until he had dealt with the issue with the Fallen Angels. Even once that was completed Rias knew she would have to get close to him through Sona. It was obvious the two were close, despite Sona being unconcerned that he would be going against three Grigori and an unknown number of rouge exorcists alone.

Rias then hatched a plan to offer assistance when he attacked the abandoned church. They had worked together to defeat a stray devil, so perhaps if she kept things professional between them he might begin to open up, or at the very least he might not be so openly hostile towards her.

" _That had backfired spectacularly."_ Rias recalled with disappointment.

It all began with good intentions. Sona had told Rias of his plans to storm the abandoned church, so she and her **[Queen]** , Akeno, decided to come along in order to offer assistance. Arriving with her entire peerage might put Ambrose on guard but Rias hoped if she arrived with just Akeno they would appear less threatening.

" _Less threatening indeed."_ Rias thought, snorting in dry amusement that she or Akeno could appear threatening to Ambrose given the state they found the church in. The black feathers that littered the ground was evidence enough that he had the situation well in hand. Still, Rias and Akeno weren't willing to let things fall as they may given that there were no sounds of fighting coming from within the church. It was only once they reached the threshold of the abandoned building did a male Fallen Angel emerge from a secret passage under the alter in a blind panic. It was then the entire building was bathed in holy light which radiated from within the church and out of the doors and windows causing the lone Grigori to be completely obliterated. The attack on the Fallen Angel also left Rias and Akeno blind, helpless, and with their skin feeling like it has been scorched from the holy aura on display.

"What do we have here? Two cockroaches looking for corpses?" Ambrose had said at the time, "You'll find no bodies here for you to turn into devils."

"We came to help." Rias pleaded, still completely blind and at his mercy.

"Help offered when not needed is usually no help at all." Ambrose dismissively replied. "Leave now, or I'll start to think it's my corpse you were looking to turn. And we both know what will happen if you try to turn me against my will, don't we?"

Needless to say, both devils made a hasty retreat back to the Occult Research Club, not only to get the blind spots out of their eyes but to calm their nerves. The normally unflappable Akeno seemed especially spooked, given her Fallen Angel ancestry.

"As devils, we have a natural weakness against holy magic. For him to be able to do that to Fallen Angels who can also wield holy magic is incredible." Akeno had said at the time, though Rias also noted that her friend's masochistic side also bled through her tone.

" _It seems there's some part of Akeno that is attracted to Ambrose."_ Rias recalled, _"Though her fear is still strong enough to negate any desire she might have for him."_

Rias might have even encouraged her **[Queen]** to continue to develop her interest, if only to have more influence on Ambrose. However, she knew that would be doomed to failure and would not only push the alchemist away but also sour her relationship with Sona even further. Rias couldn't help but notice that despite knowing each other for only two weeks, Sona and Ambrose interacted with each other with a level of understanding that was quite surprising given Sona's reserved nature. Sona's protection of him seemed quite absolute, and judging by how Ambrose was willing to walk away from meeting Gaspar it seemed that he was just as protective of Sona's interests as well. It also didn't escape Rias's notice that the two were able to communicate with one another with a single look.

All in all, Rias couldn't begrudge Sona's relationship with Ambrose, she only wish she discovered the alchemist first. Perhaps if she had then she wouldn't have to rely on Sona so much in order to learn something, anything, about him. She had profusely apologized to Sona after the incident with the Fallen Angels, partially for not heeding her friend's advice but mostly because she knew that Ambrose would never accept her apology in person. Even then, Sona remained a true friend, not only providing her with the Red Dragon Emperor as a new servant but also with an idea on how to improve her own relationship with Ambrose.

"As for Ambrose helping you with your engagement… I do have an idea that might help you two get along." Sona had told Rias the day she introduced her to Issei. "He needs a vampire. He's made a tree that grows a fruit whose juice produces artificial blood. He wants to eventually create a business that feeds the vampire nation so they won't have to hunt humans, but he needs someone to taste test it. Gaspar may be a half vampire, but he still requires blood to survive. If you could unseal Gaspar then they might form a contract."

It was a huge risk, Rias admitted to herself at the time. She had already defied her brother once by going to the abandoned church against his wishes, arguing that it would be worth it if she managed to save Ambrose's life. Unsealing Gaspar was another matter entirely. While the dhampir's shyness and unchecked power was a huge obstacle, the main issue was that seal had been cast by her sister-in-law, Grafia Lucifuge. Grafia would know if the seal was broken as soon as it happened and so too would her brother.

Surprisingly, getting Sirzechs's permission to break the seal proved easier than she had imagine. It began early this morning, before the sunrise, with her Onii-sama contacting her magically on an emergency channel.

"Is everything alright?" Rias had asked, her worry banishing any drowsiness she might have felt.

"No... yes. That is everything is fine now." Sirzechs admitted and began fill her in on the most recent events of the Underworld.

The arrest of Diodora Astaroth, a coup attempt, the discovery of the Khaos Brigade, the near complete round up of the Old Satan Faction using the flier vulnerability, and most importantly the fact that Sona and Ambrose were the catalyst for the entire ordeal. Truthfully, Rias couldn't help but feel a bit resentful that Sona had kept such information from her. While most of the details were now public, Sona had chosen to keep her ignorant of Diodora's arrest and her discovery of a plot to overthrow their respective siblings. It hurt that Sona didn't trust her enough to share that bit, and Rias felt more than a bit of shame that she had to hear about what had happened within her own territory from her older brother.

" _If my engagement problem ever gets solved, I'll have to work harder in order to maintain control of Kuoh."_ Rias vowed to herself. _"For now, I'll have to let it go. It would be foolish to antagonize Sona right now since she is my only key to Ambrose, and he is my key to freedom."_

"Have you managed to make any improvements with your relationship with Ambrose?" Sirzechs had asked her after he finished briefing her on the current state of the Underworld.

"Not exactly." Rias embarrassingly admitted.

"That's… unfortunate." Sirzechs replied, his disappointment evident by his tone. "We need to be on good relations with him, now more than ever. This goes beyond your plans to use him to end your engagement, and it's even more important than discovering whether or not he is my son."

"Why? What else has happened?" Rias asked.

"Last night Governor Yasaka held a charity ball in order to raise money to research a cure for the Yukii-Onna's infertility. Ambrose was invited and showed up not only with Sona as his date but also with a fertility enhancer designed to work on all Yōkai, perhaps even devils." Sirzechs explained.

"How did you come by this information?" Rias asked in disbelief.

"The Maōs were also invited to this party; however, given the coup attempt we were extremely busy and couldn't personally attend." Sirzechs explained, "Instead, I sent my **[Knight]** , Souji Okita to the charity ball; not only to make an appearance but to see if he could find the location of certain yōkai, magicians, and heroes who are also members of the Khaos Brigade. While there, he overheard Yasaka and Ambrose make a deal for the production and sale of the fertility enhancers. Rias, right now it doesn't matter if he is or is not my son. If this fertility enhancer works on devils then Ambrose holds the salvation of the entire devil race."

"We're still not on good terms." Rias shamefully admitted, "I don't know if I could get you a sample."

"Maō Leviathan is going to coordinate with Sona Sitri in order to get a few samples." Sirzechs firmly stated, "In the mean time, I need you to improve your relationship with him so that he has no excuse not to work with us. Do what ever you can, and failing that, try not to make things worse."

"There is one thing I could do, but I'll need your permission." Rias replied and then began explaining to her brother about the plasma fruit Ambrose had created and how he needed a vampire in order to test his product.

"First the devils, then the yōkai, and next the vampires." Sirzechs privately mused. "He's trying to build alliances, but for what purpose?"

"Onii-sama?" Rias asked, worried about the possible implications of a possible war brewing.

"It's nothing." Sirzechs replied, reassuring his younger sister. "You have my permission to unseal Gaspar, just do whatever you can not to antagonize him and continue to keep a close eye on him."

Rias finished her own private musing of recent events and took a look out the window, only to see that the sun was now setting and that a number of hours had past since Sona left Ambrose in the Occult Research Club. Curiously, she quietly snuck upstairs to discretely peek in Gaspar's room to see how everyone was getting along. Gaspar and Koneko appeared to be playing a video game and enjoying some snacks while Ambrose quietly watched. Rias couldn't help but smile at the normally shy half-vampire who was excitedly explaining the rules and strategies of the fighting game, all while still losing to Koneko.

" _I can hardly believe they're getting along so well."_ Rias thought, both hopeful as to what this might mean to her and her brother's plans and dismayed that Ambrose was getting along so well with her peerage without her involvement. _"Still, it appears this plan is actually working."_

"Buchou! There you are!" Issei shouted, startling not only Rias but the occupants of Gaspar's room. "You asked me to come see you once Akeno had finished with me."

The peaceful moment was now gone, and Rias could see that Ambrose stood up, preparing to leave for the day.

"Thank you, Issei..." Rias said aloud, though privately meaning it in a different manner.

"Am-kun, Am-kun, Will you come back to visit me again soon?" Gaspar eagerly asked while following Ambrose who had just left his room.

Ambrose looked down at Gaspar and genuinely smiled at the young dhampir and patted his head. "Of course."

" _He left his room."_ Rias thought in astonishment, _"It was only the hallway, but Gaspar actually left his room."_

"Bring better snacks next time." Koneko said as she marched past the group, making sure to roughly shoulder bump Issei causing him to fall over.

"You're leaving now?" Rias asked Ambrose, disappointed that she hadn't made any personal progress towards improving their relationship.

"If you don't mind." Ambrose replied, crossing his arms stating clearly that he minded being kept here.

"Before you go, there is one thing." Rias said, hoping that he would continue to work with the members of her peerage, even if he wouldn't work with her. "Issei has had a hard time making contracts. I was hoping you might go with him tonight and show him how it's done. Maybe you could give him a few pointers."

"What do I know about making devil contracts?" Ambrose incredulously asked.

"I heard you made a deal with the Yōkai yesterday for fertility enhancers." Rias replied, "Isn't that all a contract is, a deal?"

"How do you know about what I did yesterday?"

"Sona told me." Rias lied, unwilling to mention the Maō's involvement.

Ambrose frowned for a moment, but didn't outright reject. "What do you think, Hyoudou?"

"I've kind of been thrown into the deep end here." Issei embarrassingly admitted, "I'd appreciate any help you can offer."

"Equivalent exchange." Ambrose said turning his attention back to Rias. "What do I get out of it?"

" _At least he's willing to help."_ She sourly thought. "You can have anything the client is willing to pay for the completion of the contract, so long as the client is satisfied with the result."

"Any idea on what the client wants?" Ambrose asked.

Rias shook her head, "No. And I won't be able to teleport you there. The devil magic used to transport people only works on devils within my clan… Also, Issei has been having a difficult time being teleported as well."

"Sorry, Buchou." Issei replied, somewhat shamefully.

"Address?" Ambrose asked, holding his hand out.

Rias smiled gratefully, glad that some sort of progress was being made, and handed him a slip of paper with the client's address on it.

"Come on Hyoudou, first rule is that you never want to be late for a meeting." Ambrose said, leading the way for the **[Pawn]** to follow.

"Bye Am-kun." Gaspar called out as he waved at the retreating pair, "Come back soon."

Rias watched the two head downstairs and turned to look at her **[Bishop]**. "I take it you liked Ambrose visiting you?"

"Uh huh." Gaspar said with one of his rare smiles. "I hope he'll be my friend."

Rias couldn't help but sigh. "Me too."

* * *

To say that Issei Hyoudou's life had been turned upside down and inside out would be a complete understatement. He had his first date on Friday when he met a beautiful nun and took her out for hamburgers. Despite buying her an inexpensive meal, Asia acted as if it were a rare treat and they then proceeded to have fun at a local arcade. From there the date took a bad turn as they were both kidnapped by Fallen Angels and then sacrificed later that night by having their souls ripped apart on a huge black cross.

" _Probably the worst first date in history."_ Issei depressingly thought.

Both he and Asia were then resurrected on Saturday morning by a magician and a devil of all things, and by Saturday afternoon he had been turned into a devil himself. Despite the excitement of potentially having his own harem at some point in the future, his fortune hadn't improved by Sunday as his new Master had woken him up at 5 in the morning in order to begin his training. The highlight of the last few days thus far was watching Drag So-Ball with a client named Morisawa when he should have been working to complete a contract with the client in question.

" _Even my school life isn't the same anymore."_ Issei depressingly thought, as he was once again woken up at 5 am on Monday morning in order to train.

He just wanted something familiar again, some sort of normalcy he could ground himself to. So when his two best friends, Matsuda and Motohama, offered to show him the 'VIP Room' he jumped at the chance. Sadly for Issei, that ended not only with getting caught (as usual) but receiving the worst beating of both his lives by a fellow devil who had more strength in her loli body than should be possible.

" _I just can't seem to get anything right."_ He dejectedly thought as his dreams of having a harem of women seemed further and further away.

"I'll teleport us to a location near this address." Ambrose said as they went down the stairs of the Occult Research Club, breaking Issei out of his depressing thoughts.

"But Buchou can't teleport me." Issei said in surprise.

"Devil magic requires you to be a member of her family in order to teleport someone. I'm not a devil, so I'm under no such restriction." Ambrose replied before engulfing them both with magical light and transporting them both to a rooftop.

"What are we doing way up here?" Issei alarmingly shouted, eager to get away from the edge.

"We can't teleport in the middle of the street." Ambrose replied while nudging Issei back towards the edge, "Besides, you're a devil. You have wings."

"I still haven't learned to fly yet." He embarrassingly admitted.

"Well, no time like the present." Ambrose said as he jumped off the roof and slowly floated down to the ground, sans wings.

Issei looked over the edge of the roof and gulped. "Okay… here we go."

The result was less than spectacular; although he did manage to get his wings out and accomplish some sort of glide which slowed his decent, he failed at the landing and fell on his ass.

"Owww." He complained while rubbing his sore bottom.

"Oh come on, you're a devil. No way that fall could hurt you."

"It's not just the fall, it's Akeno-san's punishment." Issei embarrassingly admitted, "I think she had way too much fun administering it."

"And here I thought perverts like that sort of treatment." Ambrose joked as he lead the way to a nearby apartment building.

"That's really not my preference." Issei grumbled as they began to climb the apartment steps.

"Could have fooled me, given how all the women in your life react to your perversions. You're practically begging them to punish you, yet you keep coming back for more." Ambrose said with a frown as they reached the second floor and walked down the hall. "Seriously, why waste this second chance? You've got a new life, quite literally in fact. Isn't there anything you regretted before you died?"

"I regretted dying a virgin." Issei honestly replied as they reached an apartment door decorated with painted flowers.

"Here we are, apartment 206." Ambrose said as he double checked the address. "Tell you what, if this girl's wish is to screw one of our brains out, I'll let you take care of it. Deal?"

"Deal!" Issei replied and eagerly rang the doorbell.

"It's Open!" A baritone voice called from inside. "Come On in Nyo!"

Issei and Ambrose both worriedly looked at each other. "Nyo?"

The pair cautiously opened the door only to be greeted by a 2 meter tall wall of pure muscle wearing a form fitting magical girl outfit.

"Nyo!" The dark haired cross-dressing body builder yelled while flexing a pose, though both Issei and Ambrose couldn't tell if it was a magical or muscle pose. "Hey You Sexy Studs, I'm Mil-tan!"

That was the last thing Issei remembered before he passed out in fright.


	16. Season 1, Chapter 8

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

It was late in the evening when Sona trudged through her apartment door, feeling as if she spent the entire day putting out small fires. First it was the perverted trio incident, then there was Saji's cruel words at the small party she organized, followed by another tense meeting with the Gremory peerage. After that, she had left for the administration office in order to try to make the Kuoh Beautification Club a permanent fixture to the Academy.

Dealing with any administrators was always a chore no matter the organization; luckily they were easy to manipulate if you knew what buttons to press. The first step is to identify a problem in a manner which makes them want to take immediate action, a casual reminder that what the perverted trio was doing was illegal ensured that they could no longer ignore the problem. But pointing out a problem without providing a solution is just complaining, so she explained to them how the Beautification Club benefited the faculty by providing a detention activity that requires no adult supervision. By pointing out that the new club had very little overhead and wouldn't cost any additional funds pretty much sealed the deal.

" _Things like this usually boils down to money and how much time it will cost."_ Sona mused to herself as she kicked off her shoes and headed to her bedroom to change out of her school uniform. _"Now Kuoh's Beautification Club is a legitimate club and detention center, that way I can keep at least two thirds biggest perverts in line."_

She paused as she entered her bedroom, noticing that she had a communication request on her private channel that she shared with her sister, Serafall. Curious as to what was so important, she quickly created a magical communication circle and contacted her beloved sister.

"So-tan!" Serafall happily cheered. "Welcome home."

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona replied with an exhausted smile of her own.

"Nee, So-tan, what's wrong?" Serafall cutely asked, "You look tired."

"Just the end of a long day."

"Want to tell me about it?" Serafall genuinely offered, "You can share anything with your big sis."

"It's just school problems, nothing you need to worry about." Sona replied, waving off her sister's concerns.

"So-tan." Serafall cutely pouted. "You never tell me anything anymore."

"What do you mean, I don't tell you anything anymore?" Sona asked in confusion. "We spoke all night only a few days ago."

"You didn't tell me about your date." Serafall suddenly said. Her cheerful demeanor now completely absent, replaced by a disturbing seriousness that the Maō very rarely displayed. "You should have told me you were going to see Governor Yasaka."

"To be honest, it slipped my mind." Sona replied, surprised that her Onee-sama knew of what she had been up to. "Don't worry, I conducted myself as a proper representative of the Sitri clan and the Devil Nation."

"Of that I have no doubt." Serafall said in a confident manner and then cutely tilted her head before asking, "So-tan, is it true that your magician made a fertility enhancer?"

"Yes, he did." Sona casually admitted. "Did you hear about it from Governor Yasaka?"

"Uh huh. Yasaka said it works on devils, is that true too?" Serafall excitedly asked.

" _Strange, we didn't tell Yasaka it works on devils, we only told Nurarihyon."_ Sona thought in bewilderment. "Yes, Am-chan said it works on devils as well as yōkai."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Serafall deadpanned.

"Onee-sama, what kind of question is that?!" Sona disbelievingly asked. "You know I'm focusing on my education. What could possibly make you think I'm pregnant?"

"I know what he did." Serafall accusingly replied, her eyes narrowing in anger. "I know he spent the night with you after your date."

"Onee-sama, you've been spying on me again!" Sona's eyes widen in shock.

"I never stopped..." Serafall confidently admitted, as if she knew there was nothing Sona could do about it.

"You have no right to invade my privacy like that." Sona angrily protested.

"He has no right to sleep with my So-tan." Serafall argued back.

"He's my fiance, he has every right." Sona reminded her sister. "I'm not the one who set the conditions for me to find a husband, you can thank our mother and father for that. To be quite honest, I feel extremely lucky that I managed to find myself engaged to such a caring man."

"Caring? I saw what he was doing to you this morning." Serafall stated, her cheeks puffing out in anger.

"We weren't doing anything." Sona defended, still shocked that she was even having this conversation.

"He was all up on you, pressing himself against you, doing perverted things..." Serafall scathingly replied while her fist clenched in anger.

"We only kissed a little bit in the morning, we didn't have sex." Sona argued back. _"At least, not this morning."_

"I heard you two talking, it sure sounded as if you've had sex with him before." Serafall accusingly said.

"What we do isn't any of your business." Sona reminded her sister. "He and I are going to be married one day. Did you think this day would never come?"

Serafall crossed her arms and grumbled a bit in protest. "Everything's changing. My So-tan is now engaged and I'm losing you to this stranger."

"You're not losing me." Sona said, comforting her older sister. "No matter what happens I'll always be your imouto. Honestly, Onee-sama, you're making him out like he's some sort of villain."

"He's taking my So-tan away from me, of course he's a villain." Serafall fiercely retorted.

"Onee-sama, what's this really about?" Sona worriedly asked, "Did you really call me to tell me how much you dislike my fiance, someone whom you've never met?"

"Grrr, I hate this." Serafall ruefully admitted, "I hate that I have to do this."

"Do what?" Sona asked, beginning to get seriously concerned with her sister's behavior. _"She didn't like Am-chan at first, but this is on a totally different level."_

"I… That is we need his help..." The Maō stubbornly admitted. "We need a few samples of his fertility enhancer..."

"Okay..." Sona replied, quite vexed with the current situation. "I'm certain that Am-chan can make you a few samples. I still don't understand what the problem is?"

"That **is** the problem." Serafall resentfully wailed, "Sona, do you realize we're only one major war away from total extinction?"

Sona did realize that fact, with far more certainty than her sister did.

"We still haven't replenished our numbers from the Devil Civil War, let alone the Last Great Celestial War when the original Lucifer died. While we can continue to use **[Evil Pieces]** to help replenish our numbers, the remaining 33 pillars need to have more heirs so their lines can continue if the worst comes to pass. We can't lose another generation of pure blood devils or we'll lose our entire way of life. Now we've got this Khaos Brigade showing themselves. It was only by luck that we were able to discover this coup attempt before they attacked, and we've only been able to deal with the Old Satan Faction of this group. There's still a large number of yōkai, magicians, and heroes who are also part of this organization. It's starting to look like we're on the precipice of another major conflict."

"It wasn't because of luck that you were able to discover the coup attempt, it was Am-chan who found out and offered his assistance. I'm sure he would be happy to continue to assist us by providing a few samples of his Procreation Enhancer. It won't be a problem." Sona replied with confidence, hoping to remind her sister that her fiance had helped and would continue to do so.

"If he's such a good friend to the devil race then why didn't he offer it to us before?" Serafall practically demanded. "Why did he offer it to the yōkai first?"

"He didn't know our situation was that dire, and I only found out about the fertility enhancers yesterday. He offered it to the yōkai with me next to him in hopes that it would strengthen the relationship between devils and yōkai." Sona said in defense of her fiance. "Am-chan still learning the political climate of the Underworld, he didn't even know we have harems until the day before yesterday."

"Sirzechs-chan told me that he threatened Rias-chan's life." Serafall angrily revealed, "He should be smart enough to know that threatening the sister of a Maō isn't going to make you well liked. So-tan, I'm worried about you."

" _I see Rias has been tattling to her brother."_ Sona bitingly thought.

"He threatened to bind Rias to him, which is exactly what she attempted to do to him." Sona argued back.

"Rias-chan is your friend and the Sitri and Gremory clans are allies. Why would you choose a complete stranger over her?"

" _Because I love him."_ Sona thought, though instead said aloud. "Because she could have gotten both peerages killed."

Serafall was stunned to silence.

"Rias knew about the Fallen Angels, she knew they were there all along and didn't tell me." Sona bitterly continued, "The only thing she cared about was herself, it was all about expanding her peerage; she wanted to turn another Fallen Angel into her servant. She didn't care about putting me or my peerage in danger by withholding that crucial information, and she certainly didn't care about the reputation of the Devil Nation when she plotted to benefit from Am-chan's murder. I can only guess what she told Maō Lucifer, she probably dressed it all up like she only had the most innocent of intentions. And the sad part is that she's right, Rias isn't malicious. What she is is an idiot whose thoughtlessness could have gotten us all killed."

Both sisters were silent for a moment as they considered each other's perspective. Truthfully, Sona couldn't blame Serafall for being somewhat suspicious of Ambrose. He was quickly becoming a major political player with many different factions that were only just beginning to realize his importance.

"If you're going to judge Am-chan, then do so by his actions and the results of those actions." Sona said after a moment. "Look at what he's done for us. He stopped the Fallen Angel's attempt to frame us, he helped uncover a coup attempt against the Maōs, and he's brokering a trade alliance with the Yōkai; an alliance which reflects positively on us since he's officially become my magician as well as my fiance. He's done all of this and hasn't asked for anything in return."

"We need him." Serafall bitterly admitted, "We need him yet we know nothing about him. The worst part is the fact that you're the only one close enough to him to get what we need."

"I'll get you the samples, Onee-sama. It won't be a problem." Sona confidently stated, "And as for Am-chan, it would mean a lot to me if you gave him the benefit of the doubt. At least wait until you actually meet him before you judge him."

"Hmph." The image of Serafall stubbornly crossed her arms and the connection was then suddenly cut.

" _That was bad."_ Sona thought, taking a moment to go over all that was both said and unsaid during her conversation with her sister.

" _One thing's for certain, Onee-sama didn't hear that the fertility enhancer works on devils through Yasaka."_ Sona concluded, wondering why her sister would lie about that. _"And now there's this mess with Maō Lucifer; Rias, you just had to go crying to your brother."_

That fact was alarming, in of itself. Sirzechs Lucifer was notorious for being over-protective of his little sister and would no doubt have something to say about Ambrose threatening Rias. It wouldn't matter to Sirzechs what Rias did or the fact that Ambrose hadn't actually carried out his threat. Maō Lucifer would eventually make his displeasure known and there was no doubt in Sona's mind that her fiance could now count himself on the Maō's shit list; Sona had to warn him as soon as possible.

" _But first I have to get rid of these magical surveillance devices."_ Sona thought as she looked around her apartment.

* * *

" _Getting Am-chan alone in order to warn him is proving to be more difficult than I had originally thought."_

It wasn't as if she couldn't find some secluded corner at school, there were plenty of places where a couple could go for a private chat.

" _Unfortunately, pulling my fiance aside for a private conversation would probably be misinterpreted by the students. Not only would it set a bad example, but I'd_ _probably_ _die of embarrassment."_ Sona mused while blushing at the implications.

The current situation reminded Sona of her fiance's first week of school, how they were forced to put on a charade in front of all the other students.

" _Even if I call him aside after school, I'd still be in the presence of my peerage."_ Sona realized to her dismay. _"I'll have to wait after I've completed not only my duties as student council president, but also after we go to the Familiar Forest. I won't be able to properly warn him until we're completely alone."_

Regretfully, anticipation makes time go slower; so slow that Sona found herself checking the clock to ensure she wasn't stuck in some time dilation field. Classes had become tedious and paltry ever since she returned from the future, but never before had she been so eager for the professor to simply 'get on with it' so that she could move onto more important things.

When the final bell rung she quickly headed over to her fiance's desk, surprising not only Tsubaki but also the entire class. Even Ambrose was caught off guard since she normally headed straight to attend her duties as student council president right after class.

As she approached her fiance's desk, Sona could hear the whispers of her fellow classmates as their teenage minds came up one scandalous scenario after another.

"Would you mind helping out the student council today, Am-chan?" Sona asked, trying to ignore the accompanying giggles of the gossiping students.

Although surprised at her request, Ambrose stood and offered his arm to her. "Not at all. Shall we?"

Sona smiled and nodded, looping her arm through his and lead the way to the student council room with Tsubaki dutifully following. They didn't speak a word, but Sona held on to his arm tightly in an attempt to silently convey her worry. She could tell that he received the message that something wasn't right when he turned and looked at her in concern.

With out a word exchanged, the trio then entered the empty student council room, though Sona didn't release her fiance's arm. Although she couldn't speak freely in front of Tsubaki, she felt her fiance deserved some answers.

"I'd like for you to come to the Familiar Forest with me and my peerage tonight."

"Sure." Ambrose casually responded, "We should probably spend some time together since I'm going to be extremely busy starting tomorrow. It's only two weeks until the next new moon and I have a lot of work to do making this month's batch of the cure."

"You may have more to do than you realize." Sona weightily replied. "I spoke to Onee-sama. The Maōs are aware of your Procreation Enhancer and request a few samples to see if it works on devils."

"I see." Ambrose commented with a troubled face. "How soon do they want it?"

"The sooner the better. Will that be a problem?" Sona worriedly inquired. _"I promised Onee-sama that I would get them, and I don't want any delays. We need at least one Maō on our side."_

"It won't be if I can start making purchases in the Underworld." Ambrose replied, reminding her of her promise to make ingredients available. "Like I said earlier, the major hurdle is the time I need to alchemically create the inorganic compounds I need. If you can get me what I need, I should have enough time to do both."

"Give me a list of everything you need _after_ we get back." Sona firmly stated, "In the meantime, you need to work on those fertility enhancers for the Maōs."

"Alright." Ambrose worriedly replied, sensing that something was wrong given how she was impressing the importance of the Maō's request. "I should probably get started right away then."

"Please wait until I finish giving out my orders to my peerage, then you can leave to start brewing." Sona stated, further impressing an unsaid seriousness to the situation. "But you have to come back here before sundown, I need you with me tonight. Later, you can give me the list of ingredients you need after we get back from the Familiar Forest."

Ambrose paused and looked deeply into her eyes, as if he were trying to discern the hidden meaning behind her words. Though he couldn't know that she was trying to warn him of the Maōs spying on him, he could tell that she was creating an unnecessary step by waiting to give her the list later instead of writing it out right now. Sona was basically forcing certain scenarios from her requests, _'Stay close to me or stay safe in behind your wards, we need to talk in private'._ After a moment of hesitation, he nodded affirmatively and said no more on the subject.

Their obscure conversation came to an end just in time as the rest of Sona's peerage began to filter in the student council room. The **[King]** then sat behind her desk with Tsubaki at her customary place on her right and her fiance now standing to her left. Sona steepled her hands, interlocking her fingers in front of her in an attempt to hide her worry from her peerage; though she imagined she currently gave off an intimidating presence. Although there was no real threat behind her posture, Sona found that such measures were useful in order to maintain control of a situation; specifically her peerage's presence.

One by one her servants entered and quickly became duteous once they sensed the mood of the room; watching the normally cheerful Ruruko cease her gossip with Tomoe mid-sentence was especially humorous. After her entire peerage had assembled and were ready to receive their orders, Sona began today's meeting.

"As usual, I need you all to complete your assigned tasks for the school in a timely manner. Tonight, once the sun goes down, we're going to the Familiar Forest so Saji can get his familiar."

"Alright." Saji cheered with a clenched fist. "I'll be sure to get a strong familiar for you Kaichō."

"You should get a familiar that's best suited for your needs, Saji." Sona stated with a straight face, hiding her frown behind her hands. "Familiars are rarely used in Rating Games, and getting a strong familiar to fight your battles is very difficult. Often times, you would be required to fight such a familiar in order to gain its allegiance. Since you've only just become a devil it would probably be better if you got one that is useful instead."

"Useful?" Saji questioned with a confused look on his face.

"Correct." Tsubaki replied, taking over the explanation. "Familiars can assist you by delivering messages, finding things; they can even be trained for more complicated tasks. Here." Tsubaki said as she summoned a black cat, "This is my familiar Amaya."

Momo then summoned a small puppy that was blue and covered in ice crystals. Reya, who came from a traditional family of magical users, summoned a brown and white spotted owl. Tsubasa summoned a brown bear that was small enough to pass for a teddy bear. Tomoe brought forth a colorful macaw who immediately began to gossip with its master, while Ruruko held out her hand to Saji, showing a fire salamander.

"What about you Kaichō? What's your familiar?" Saji curiously asked.

With a wave of her hand, Sona conjured a black bird with an orange beak and an orange patch of skin on the sides of its head and neck.

"A raven?" Saji inquired in bewilderment.

"A Hill Myna, an intelligent bird most known for mimicking the calls of other birds in order to confuse predators." Sona explained, "It can even learn to mimic human speech."

"Oh, I see." Saji replied.

"I doubt that." Came the condescending reply from Sona's familiar.

"What did that bird brain say to me?" Saji angrily exclaimed.

"Saji." Sona said, scolding her troublesome **[Pawn]** and effectively ending any further outburst from him. She then paused for a moment before resuming her briefing. "Now then, Tsubaki will pass out your assigned tasks for today. Saji, I've brought a book of familiars for you to peruse so that you might have an idea of what to expect when we leave. The rest of you are dismissed."

One by one, her servants left for their daily tasks as Saji sat down on a nearby chair and began to flip through his reading material.

"I should head on out too and get those potions ready for Maō Leviathan." Ambrose commented, "I'll head straight home and return before sundown."

"Am-chan" Sona called out before he left her side.

Curiously, Ambrose looked at her as she tilted her head to the side, making a silent request.

Ambrose smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek before he left the office to complete his own tasks.

Satisfied, Sona diligently began her own work, unaware of Tsubaki's teasing smile or Saji's surly look.

* * *

The familiar forest was a dark and dreary place, filled with barren trees and was illuminated by a foreboding red glow that filled the sky. In an unremarkable patch of land, the Sitri family crest lit up and Sona began to materialize with her peerage in tow.

"This creepy place is the familiar forest?" Saji uneasily asked as he looked around.

"Not all of it is like this. The Familiar Forest is filled with micro-climates, areas with different atmospheres and ecosystems to support a wide variety of species." Sona replied while activating a different magical circle. "Just a moment, while I summon Am-chan."

"I don't see why we have to invite him." Saji stubbornly replied while crossing his arms. "He can't even teleport here by himself, why bring him along at all?"

"The teleportation magic of the Sitri Clan only works with devils within the clan." Reya replied, reminding Saji how the magic worked. "Ambrose isn't a devil and has probably never been here before, so Sona has to request a summons. It's like a magical beacon so he knows where to come."

The magical circle shifted a bit, signaling that the summons had been successful, and Ambrose suddenly materialized in front of them.

"So, this is where all the familiars breed?" The alchemist said as he looked around.

"That's right." Sona replied, "This is where we're suppose to meet Zatouji."

"Zatouji?" Saji curiously inquired.

"That's right, Zatouji!" An unseen person shouted out, "The Familiar Master who's gonna catch'em all!"

"Who's there?" Saji shouted out and took a defensive stance.

Up in a nearby tree stood a middle aged man wearing a white tank top, shorts, sneakers, and a baseball cap that he wore backwards. "Clean your ears, kid. I'm Zatouji, the Familiar Master! I can catch any familiar there is in this forest, and I know where all the best ones are!"

"Good evening, Familiar Master Zatouji." Sona replied, taking the lead of the situation as she gave a respectful bow. "As always, we're grateful for your assistance."

"Ahh, Heiress Sitri." Zatouji said, jumping down from the tree and giving a courteous bow in return, "I see you've gotten two new servants, and they're male at that."

"Actually, just the one." Sona admitted, "Saji is my newest **[Pawn]** and is here to get his familiar. This other gentleman is my sorcerer and fiance, Ambrose Dragon-Slayer."

Zatouji peered at the alchemist with a confused look, "Have we met before?"

"I don't believe so." Ambrose bewilderingly replied.

"Hrm..." Zatouji pondered while rubbing his chin for a moment before shrugging. "Oh well, doesn't matter. So, one familiar for the new devil then? Any idea what kind of familiar you're looking for?" He asked Saji.

"I want a familiar that can kick some serious ass!" Saji confidently replied while holding his fist in the air.

"Tsk." Zatouji scolded with his finger, "You newbies don't know anything. You can't get a strong familiar until you, yourself, get strong enough."

"I'm strong enough already." Saji boasted, dismissing the advice of the Familiar Master. "I have the **[Sacred Gear]** of Vrita the Black Dragon King."

"Black Dragon King?" Zatouji questioned, "I know all about familiars but I don't know much about **[Sacred Gear]**. If I'm going to get you a familiar that matches your ability then I've got to know what you can do."

"Alright then. **[Sacred Gear]**!" Saji shouted with a grin as a small ugly black lizard formed around his left wrist. He pointed his fist at a nearby tree and the little lizard responded by shooting its tongue out its mouth which then wrapped around the tree. "With this power I can create a tethered line that can tie up the most fearsome enemies, making them at completely helpless!"

"Oh, I see!" Zatouji cheerfully replied, "Yes, yes, I understand. I believe I know the best familiar for you."

"Really? Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Saji excitedly said as the group began their journey deeper into the forest.

"Hold on, not you." Zatouji suddenly stated, holding his hand out in a stopping motion in front of Ambrose.

"Is there a problem?" Sona protectively asked, ready to defend her fiance's right to be here.

"Look, I may not be a dragon but I know the mark of a real dragon slayer when I come across one." Zatouji the Familiar Master stated to Sona with a serious look in his eye. "This kid's got the strongest dragon slaying mark I've ever felt. If he comes with us he'll not only upset the dragons but other familiars too."

"I understand." Ambrose nodded in agreement. "I'll stay behind."

"I'll stay behind as well." Sona stated, looping her arm with her fiance's.

"Where Kaichō goes, so do I." Tsubaki firmly declared.

"Hmm.. It'd probably be best if everyone else stayed behind." Zatouji thoughtfully suggested with an uncomfortable look on his face, "The familiar we're going to see… let's just say your **[Pawn]** has a better chance forming a contract with her if he's by himself."

"I suppose it can't be helped." Sona said, removing her glasses rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Saji, you are to follow Familiar Master Zatouji's instructions at all times and you will not to cause him any trouble, understood?"

"Hai Kaichō." Saji excitedly exclaimed, standing straight at attention like a solider receiving orders. "Just you wait, I'll come back with a great familiar that'll be sure to impress you!"

"Right..." Sona stonily replied. _"He could at least try not to be such a suck up..."_

"Come on kid, let's go get your familiar." Zatouji said as he lead Saji deep into the forest, leaving the rest of the peerage alone in the forest.

"So… anyone bring a deck of cards?" Ruruko asked the group that now found themselves left behind with nothing to do.

* * *

Genshirou Saji could honestly say that his life was going pretty great until recently. He earned good grades, was generally well liked among his classmates, and did well in sports. The only problem he had was a lack of close friends, but all that changed the day he met Sona Sitri. She was beautiful, intelligent, and in his freshman year of high school Sona Sitri, Fuku-Kaichō of Kuoh Academy, personally invited him to be an assistant of the student council. It was the first time he felt like he truly belonged, that he was actually a valued member of a group. And while it certainly didn't hurt that the student council was primarily made up of girls, Saji couldn't help but fall in love with Sona Sitri and vowed to do everything he could to support her.

It was in the beginning of his current school year when Sona-Kaichō confessed to the true nature of things, that devils, angels, and dragons actually existed. He discovered that she was a devil, that he held the spirit of a dragon inside of him, and Sona-Kaichō had then asked him to become a devil and join her peerage, her clan, so that she might make his strength her own. In Saji's mind, it was proof that they were meant to be together.

" _And then HE came along."_ Saji spitefully thought. _"The guy gets attacked by a Fallen Angel and suddenly it's everybody's problem. It wasn't as if the Fallen Angels were attacking the devils. Besides, it's not Gremory-sempai's responsibility to rescue him from Fallen Angels, he should be grateful that she even considered turning him into a devil if he had died. Becoming a devil is an honor, but what does he do? He throws it back in her face."_

" _The worst part of it was that this so-called 'Dragon Slayer' didn't even need any help to begin with, he fixed the problem all on his own. He only riled everyone up to get one thing, a date with his Sona-Kaichō."_ Saji angrily deduced, _"Bad enough he killed a girl on his first date, now he has to drag my sweet Kaichō in on his nefarious plans. Kaichō has never had a boyfriend before, she had never even been on a date before. She's obviously swept away by this Lothario who's taking advantage of her innocence."_

Saji reminded himself of the oath he had taken when he became a devil, an oath to be the first and last line of defense of his **[King]**. He knew he was weak, the nonstop training that Sona-Kaichō forced them to go through proved that much. But he was getting stronger, and he felt he was strong enough to defeat some overblown magician. There was only one thing he needed to tip the scales further in his favor and turn a certain victory into an undisputed triumph. A familiar so strong that even Sona-Kaichō could see his worth.

* * *

 _A mighty dragon roars as it flies through the sky with its master, the Black Dragon Saji Genshirou, riding on its back. The young devil's heroic eyes scanned the ground and finds the dastardly villain Ambrose pawing at the innocent Sona as if he were a hungry wolf._

" _Unhand My Kaichō, Fiend!" Saji declares as he expertly jumps off the dragons back, performing a death defying acrobatic flip in the air, before landing a solid kick to the scoundrel's face._

" _Saji!" Sona cried out in joy. "You've come to rescue me!"_

" _You can't have her!" Ambrose angrily shouted, gnashing his teeth in frustration. "She's mine, I defeated her fair and square. Now stand aside, or I'll show you the wrath of the Dragon Slayer!"_

" _Ha! You're no Dragon Slayer, you're a fraud! Behold the power of my dragon familiar, Zeta! Go forth my faithful friend, and burn this evildoer to ashes!" Saji shouts, striking a heroic pose._

 _The black dragon familiar roars in response to his master's call as it swoops down and breaths a deep purple flame down upon its target._

" _Noooo!" Ambrose shouts in pain and despair as his entire body disintegrates from the attack._

 _Zeta, the familiar, then gracefully lands before Saji as the fire still burns behind him where the villain Ambrose once stood. The dragon then bows its head in respect and submission before its master._

" _Well done, my trusty friend." Saji said, praising his familiar with a pat on the nose._

" _Saji!" Sona cries out as she rushes into his arms. "Oh Saji, you've released me from his horrible spell. How can I ever repay you?"_

 _"Marry me." Saji replies giving her his signature 'handsome' look. "Marry me and make me the happiest man of alive."_

 _"Of course, of course I'll marry you Saji." Sona breathlessly says as she leans forward to kiss him._

* * *

"he he he he he he he he he he – HMPH!" Saji's fantasy was quickly interrupted by Zatouji who covered his mouth.

"Quite kid, this is a dangerous area." The Familiar Master angrily warned, "We don't want to get any unwanted attention here, do we?"

"Right, sorry." Saji embarrassingly replied.

Zatouji glared at Saji for a moment before cautiously leading him deeper in the forest. The red glow that illuminated the area seemed to grow darker; the branches of the trees seemed to grow denser and began to intertwine with one another, blocking out the sky.

Zatouji suddenly stopped, his eyes were closed as he appeared to be intently listening for something. "We're here." He suddenly said, breaking the silence, "All we can do now is wait for her."

"Wait for who?" Saji worriedly asked as he looked around for any signs of a familiar.

"Rachnera." Zatouji said as a the trees and branches around them suddenly began to creek and chitter in response to hearing that name.

"A-And… who's Rachnera?" Saji fearfully inquired.

"Why, I'm Rachnera." Said an unseen feminine voice that echoed through out the trees.

Saji frantically looked around, to his left, to his right, behind him, and then when he turned back around in front of him he saw a sight that existed only in his nightmares. It was a woman, or was suppose to be a woman. She had the upper body of a very well developed attractive young woman with a head of short lavender hair, and that was all that could be said about her womanly appearance. The rest of her was that of an arachnid; an enormous spider with eight large legs, carapace claws for hands, six deep red monochromatic eyes on her face, and the lower back of her spider abdomen was adorned with an imprint of a skull.

"J-J-Jorōgumo!" Saji exclaimed in horror.

"Oh? You've heard of my kind?" Rachnera asked in delight and excitement. "How wonderful."

Saji did not think it was wonderful; in fact, he was currently too crippled by fear to think anything at all. It was his greatest secret, his greatest shame. Saji Genshirou was absolutely terrified of spiders, one could even go so far as to call his fear arachnophobia. He couldn't help but be afraid of them after a horrible incident he experienced when he was a child. At the tender age of nine, Saji was bitten on his rear end by a spider while he sat on a toilet, completely vulnerable. To this day he remembers every detail about that damn spider; its long brown hairy legs that reached out for him, its eight soulless eyes that stared at him as its mandibles twitched in delight. It was the biggest spider he had ever seen, at least until today.

Despite the horrific pain and swelling that bite had caused him, his entire body seized up in fright as the spider rushed towards him and began to crawl all over his most sensitive areas. The aftermath of the entire ordeal involved a three day visit to the hospital in order to recover from the venomous bite. To this day memory of that event caused him to shiver uncontrollably and the mere sight of any spider caused him to flee in terror. But now, staring faced to face with a giant jorōgumo, Saji couldn't find the strength within him to move an inch.

"Ah, good day to you Rachnera-sama." Zatouji cheerfully greeted the spider-woman, unaware of Saji's internal plight. "I brought this young man to meet you. He's looking for a familiar and apparently you two share the same interest."

"Knitting?" Rachnera cutely asked, touching her clawed digit to her lips.

"Ahh, no." Zatouji embarrassingly replied while scratching the back of his head. "I mean that **other** hobby of yours."

"Oh, I see." Rachnera replied in delight, turning her hungry gaze to Saji while licking her lips. "He seems to be a healthy young man too. It's nice to know we have something in common."

"W-we have something in common?" Saji squeaked out, almost afraid of the answer.

"Yes, that's right." Zatouji replied with a sagely nod. "Bondage."

"BONDAGE?!" Saji exclaimed in horror and looked to Rachnera.

The Jorōgumo gave a large smile, showing that her entire mouth was filled with razor sharp fangs. She quickly spun a silken rope and snapped it taught between her hands. "We're going to have so much fun together." She excitedly giggled, "I can't wait."

It was in that exact moment where Saji's mind became completely broken be sheer terror. He quickly ran away as fast as he could as his terrified screams echoed through the forest in his wake.

Both Rachnera and Zatouji were left behind, blinking in surprise at Saji's sudden departure. They watched as the young devil ran beyond their vision while his shrieks began to trail off in the distance.

"Well, that was rude." Rachnera pointed out, crossing her arms under her enormous breasts.

Zatouji nodded in agreement. "Yes. I suppose I had better go after the kid before he gets himself into trouble."

"Not so fast." Rachnera replied before expertly restraining the Familiar Master in a shibari suspension position with her silk strands. "You know the penalty for wasting my time."

"But Rachnera-sama, I have to go find... HMMPPP" Zatouji's protests were silenced as she covered his mouth with her sticky silk.

"Don't worry." The Jorōgumo said in absolute delight. "We'll be done as soon as I've had my fun, so try to make it enjoyable for me, okay?"

* * *

Saji was currently running through the Familiar Forest, not only for his life but for his sanity as well. The forest, once dark and dreary, now seemed like a paradise in comparison to the monstrosity that he had just left behind. He didn't care where he was going, he only cared that he gained further distance from where he once was. He didn't notice that his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, that his legs felt as if they were on fire as he sped through the canopy of tree branches. He didn't even notice that he ran right off a cliff until his feet hit nothing but air and he found himself tumbling down a rocky bluff and then into a pool of piping hot water.

Saji gasped for breath as he broke the surface of the water, his sanity finally returning to him.

He immediately took stock of where he was and was in awe to find what lay before him; a woman of absolute beauty stood naked in the hot spring he now found himself in. Her pale skin glistened as the water fell from her in tiny droplets, her long dark blue hair seemed to flow around her while covering up her heavenly virtues, and her cold dark blue eyes created a frigid atmosphere that radiated from her beauty, signaling her deathly intent.

" _Wait, deathly intent?"_ Saji startlingly realized as a powerful aura exploded from the beautiful woman.

"A Pervert!" She hissed as her blue eyes began to glow in anger and her voice to change into a deep savage growl. "You **dare** to come peep on me? **I'll Kill You!"**

A roar came suddenly erupted from her mouth that sounded more beastly than any human had the right to make. Her features began to shift and change, her soft skin now hardened with blue scales, her snarling mouth grew larger as fangs began to show, and her manicured hands slowly grew into large and powerful claws. It was only when wings burst forth from her back did his mind finally catch on to what he was seeing.

" _A dragon!"_ Saji watched in terror, too afraid to move. _"Not a **[Sacred Gear]** , but a real life dragon!"_

The dragon continued to grow larger and larger until Saji was a mere mouse by comparison to her enormous size. Her head reached to the sky as she stretched her long neck and let out a mighty roar that sent every tiny creature around it scrambling away in fright… including Saji.

" **Don't Think You Can Escape My Wrath!"** The mighty dragon roared as it began its pursuit.

* * *

Sona, her fiance, and the Sitri peerage were currently sitting around a campfire, unaware of all that was happening around them. Out in the darkness, a single eye peeked out between a cascade of dark straight hair as a croaking sound began to come from its throat. Slowly, the dark visage of a young girl began to shuffle on all fours as it approached the campsite and the devils that surrounded it. The death rattle it made grew louder and louder as its hand suddenly reached out and grasped Tomoe from behind.

"You're not fooling anyone, Tsubaki." Tomoe replied with a smile, not even bothering to turn around.

"Honestly, becoming a devil sure puts a damper on a good scary story." Tsubaki huffed in disappointment, as she flipped her hair back in its usual position and resumed her seat.

"Tell me about it." Ruruko replied as she poked the campfire with a stick. "A ghost story just doesn't seem that scary anymore once you've become a devil."

"I'm not sure Kayako Saeki counts as a ghost." Tomoe thoughtfully replied, "She sounds more like a wraith."

"Hmm." Ambrose nodded in agreement, "A night-wraith by the sounds of it."

"Night-wraith?" Ruruko curiously asked.

"The tortured soul of a woman who was scorned in love in death, most often murdered at night by her lover or husband." Sona replied, educating her **[Pawn]**. "They can turn incorporeal, often disappearing then reappearing in other places in order to confuse its victim. It's best to set a magical immobilizing trap before attacking one."

"I guess becoming a devil means there's a lot less out there for us to fear." Ruruko cheerfully replied. "Too bad, I love a good scary story."

"I wouldn't say that there's less to fear." Sona stated, giving her **[Pawn]** a hard look. "There are things that even devils are afraid of, things that would scare even the bravest of souls."

"Like what?" Tsubasa asked, trying to hide her anxiousness.

"A moorwen." Sona replied as a gust of wind blew suddenly, disturbing the fire.

Reya and Momo quickly huddled together in fright a the mere mention of the name.

"What's a moorwen?" Tsubaki cautiously asked.

"It's a quadruped super-predator, carnivore, indigenous to the Underworld and capable of taking down devils and dragons. At least 3.5 meters tall, and 7 meters long, with a three pronged tail that extends an additional 5 meters from its body which it can use as a whip." Ambrose began to recite from a book he and Sona had absorbed through Osmosis. "It's thick black hide is not only heat resistant, but also to damage from all but the strongest of swords."

"It's an ambush predator." Sona interrupted, taking over her fiance's explanation for a more 'colorful' description. "It's dark hide practically swallows the light around it, but it can be seen. It uses bio-luminescence to put its prey into a trance, all you'd see is a brightly color light dancing in and out of the shadows as it beckons you near. The only warning you'd ever get is its stench, the smell of a thousand rotting corpses follows it wherever it goes."

"Can it really take on a dragon?" Ruruko worriedly asked.

"Absolutely." Sona said with a firm nod. "Though dragons are some of the most fearsome and longed lived creatures that exist, even they pause before taking on a moorwen. A dragon's claws and fiery breath is no match for a moorwen's hide. It's even believed that dragons originally grew wings so that they would be able to escape a moorwen since they're flightless. When devil children are afraid of monsters hiding underneath the bed, it is a moorwen that they're afraid to find."

"Eeek!" Momo shrieked, pointing out into the distance as Reya suddenly clung tightly to her. "I saw something, a light off in the distance."

"I think we've had enough scary stories for one night." Tsubasa replied, rolling her eyes.

"I saw it too!" Reya exclaimed. "A light back beyond the trees, it's a moorwen."

"It's not a moorwen" Ambrose said while sniffing the air. "We'd smell it."

"There!" Tsubasa yelled, pointing out to the trees.

Off in the distance, beyond the visible tree line, a blue light erupted and then disappeared. The entire group caught their breath as they watched the light fade, only for another blue light to suddenly appear again, even brighter before it too began to faded.

"It's coming closer." Tsubaki observed, pulling out her naginata.

The entire group then stood guard, preparing themselves for a possible battle as the flashing light grew brighter and brighter when suddenly, off in the distance, a scream was heard.

"That sounds like Saji!" Ruruko astonishingly realized.

"Can't be." Tsubasa replied while shaking her head. "It sounds like a girl."

"Kaichō!" The voice in the distance screamed.

"It's Saji..." Sona sighed in embarrassment.

Saji's form burst out in the distance, running as if his life depended on it while screaming, "Kaichō! Save Me!"

"What's he running from?" Tsubasa asked in confusion.

It was then a large blue western dragon broke through the trees and out into the open skyline. It opened its mouth and let lose a giant roar while spewing out a trail of hot blue flames in its wake.

"We have to save him!" Momo exclaimed in worry.

"Everyone, stay behind me." Ambrose replied as he took a few steps towards Saji who was quickly approaching them.

The dragon paid the group no mind, her eyes were solely focused on the **[Pawn]** who dared to disturb her bath. She tucked her wings in tight and dove down on her prey, ready to crush him beneath her claws. As she landed, dirt and debris exploded all around Saji, tossing him in the air and towards the group. The dragon quickly resumed her chase; she ran full speed and opened her mouth, ready to send another blast.

" **ENOUGH!"** Ambrose shouted, letting a bit of his power bleed through.

Everything stopped.

The scene would have been comical, had the situation not been so dire. Saji had made it back to the camp and was now clinging to his **[King]** , shaking in pure terror while Sona tried to pry him off of her. The rest of the Sitri peerage was staring wide eyed at the dragon who chased one of their own, but most of their attention was focused on the sorcerer who now stood between them and the dragon.

Ambrose held his hand out in a stopping motion, and it was a huge surprise for everyone to find out that the dragon had indeed halted her progress. Her nose was only an inch away from Ambrose's palm, though her body hadn't managed to stop in time. The entire neck, body, and tail of the dragon had continued to move forward until it almost collapsed in on itself, giving the dragon the look of a scrunched up accordion. Though no barrier was cast, the dragon did not cross the invisible line that Ambrose projected simply by his presence.

For a long time no one said anything, no one dared to move or even breath as they watched the dragon and the Dragon Slayer silently stare at one another.

Finally, Ambrose lowered his arm. "Might I have your name?"

The dragon blinked in surprise, though its eyes narrowed as it gazed down at Ambrose. "I am Tiamat. I don't care about your name. You are a dragon slayer, and that is enough."

"You can call me Ambrose, if the name Dragon-Slayer makes you uncomfortable." Ambrose replied with a teasing smile.

Tiamat was not amused, and seemed to be even more furious that she had to take a few steps back in order to straighten out her form.

"Give me one reason why I should spare your lives." She snarled out with a puff of smoke.

"I can give you tens of thousands of reasons, as I'm sure you're aware." Ambrose cryptically replied, "But I suppose the best answer is, I'm not here for you."

"You expect me to believe that?" Tiamat growled out as she peered down at him from her magnificent height. "I've seen my share of dragon slayers in my life, but never before have I seen anyone carry a mark as strong as yours."

"You know how it is. You kill one dragon and suddenly every dragon wants to challenge you. I'm sure you can sympathize." Ambrose replied, gesturing to Saji.

"Indeed." Tiamat said with a sense of dark amusement, "Your little pervert of a dragon disturbed me while I was bathing. I demand satisfaction."

"I'm afraid he's not my dragon to discipline. You see, I'm here on a date with Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri clan." Ambrose admitted while gesturing to his fiance.

Sona tried to hide her nervousness as she finally pried Saji's arms off of her and took a few steps forward before bowing respectfully. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Great Chaos Karma Dragon. My sister, Maō Leviathan, speaks highly of you."

"And this… little pervert of a dragon is a member of your peerage?" Tiamat haughtily asked.

"Yes… I'm afraid he is." Sona distressingly replied before turning around to glare at her **[Pawn]**. "Saji, is there something you'd like to say to Tiamat, the Great Chaos Karma Dragon?"

Saji Genshirou seemed too frightened to move, his eyes were still glued to the great blue western dragon which stared menacingly at him.

"Saji..." Sona hissed through gritted teeth. "Apologize, now!"

"I'm Sorry!" Saji suddenly exclaimed, kowtowing before the mighty dragon as he kept repeating over and over again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"It seems the young man has experienced a fright he'll never forget." Ambrose commented at the scene Saji was making before turning his attention back to Tiamat. "I hope this satisfies you."

Tiamat gazed down at Ambrose and said nothing for a moment while a deep rumble came from her throat. "You keep that little pervert away from me, or next time you won't be getting him back."

"He won't bother you again." Sona contritely replied.

"And you!" Tiamat said as she stomped her claw into the ground, with Ambrose barely fitting between her talons. "If you ever come in my forest again, I'll be sure to flay you alive."

Unphased by her aggressive posture, Ambrose unflinchingly looked up at her. "In the meantime, it would be best if you turned around and left."

" _Am-chan!"_ Sona thought in alarm. _"You Idiot!"_

Tiamat simply looked down at the sorcerer for a moment before something similar to an amused grin appeared on her face.

" _Though it's hard to know for certain when you're dealing with dragons."_ Sona worriedly thought, hoping this wouldn't devolve into a fight.

With nary a word the great blue western dragon spread her wing and launched herself into the air, returning back from whence she came. The entire group let out a collective sigh of relief as the dragon disappeared over the horizon, though no one made a noise until it was well and completely gone.

"Did you really have to antagonize Tiamat?" Sona asked her fiance, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"She was just playing with Saji, she had plenty of chances to actually kill him." Ambrose pointed out. "Besides, you can't show weakness in front of a dragon. The best thing to do is look them in the eye and let them know who's boss."

" _Sometimes, I think all the men around me exist to make my life difficult."_ Sona irritably though, feeling a migrane coming on.

"Hot Damn, You're all alive!" A voice suddenly shouted.

The entire group, already on edge from their recent experience, jumped in alarm only to find Zatouji come out from behind a tree.

"When I saw Tiamat swoop down this way I thought you all were goners." The familiar master said while brushing some webbing off his clothes.

"What exactly happened?" Sona demanded, frustrated that things had spiraled out of control. "Did you take my **[Pawn]** to form a familiar contract with Tiamat?"

"No." A mature feminine voice replied from the shadows, "He tried to make a contract with me."

The group turned around in surprise to see a large Jorōgumo hanging upside down from a silken strand.

The spider-woman gracefully landed on the ground and made her way to Saji who began to quiver in fear. "I take it you're the **[King]** of this little devil?" She said to Sona, though her compound eyes never left Saji.

"Yes… I'm afraid he is." Sona replied, feeling a bit of déjà vu after apologizing for her **[Pawn]** 's behavior once already. "I take it he did something to you too?"

"He was quite rude." Rachnera scornfully stated, "Zatouji thought we'd get along since we're both into bondage. I was actually looking forward to getting to know him before he started screaming and ran off to find Tiamat."

"What? Saji's into bondage?" Momo asked in disbelief.

"I had no idea..." Ruruko said in wonder as she looked at her fellow **[Pawn]** in a new, unflattering light.

"I apologize for his behavior. He's… just been turned." Sona offered as an excuse to the spider-woman that sounded lame, even to her own ears.

The Jorōgumo approached Saji, who quickly began to nervously back away from her while still on all fours. Rachnera responded by piercing his pants through the crotch with her sharp leg, pinning him in place while still missing his vital area.

The spider-woman bent down and peered at him with her six eyes as her large H cup breasts swayed back and forth. "Just because you've been turned into a devil doesn't mean you can throw your manners away. I'm assuming your mother taught you to be polite?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Saji began to fearfully repeat, over and over again as tears fell from his eyes.

Rachnera sighed in disappointment, before releasing Saji and turned to address Sona. "Good luck training this one. Not only is he into bondage, but apparently he's a masochist as well. He's going to be loads of trouble."

"He's masochist too?" Ruruko whispered in shock.

"Oh Saji..." Momo said, shaking her head in disappointment.

"I'm not a masochist!" Saji protested, suddenly finding an ounce of courage within himself.

"That's just what a masochist would say in order to ensure he gets properly punished." Rachnera replied with a teasing smile.

"Saji, It appears to that me you ran away from the Familiar Master, insulted every denizen of the forest you came across, peeped on one of the five great dragon kings. You've embarrassed me and the entire peerage with your actions." Sona said while glaring down at her **[Pawn]**. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I… I'm sorry, Kaichō." Saji said for the umpteenth time.

"What am I going to do with him? Since he's a masochist then spanking him won't do any good. I don't suppose you can offer any advice?" Sona asked the jorōgumo with genuine curiosity.

"You could always give him to me." Rachnera offered with a hopeful smile.

Sona looked down at Saji's prone form and hummed to herself in thought as she weighing the pros and cons of doing so.

"Kaichō?" Saji worriedly asked, afraid of his possible fate.

"Quiet Saji, I'm thinking." Sona retorted as she continued to stare down at her troublesome **[Pawn]**.

Although she had no real intention of handing Saji over, Sona felt that he deserved a little comeuppance for all the trouble he cause.

"Just keep him busy." Rachnera dismissively replied, tired of teasing the **[Pawn]**. "Give him chores that he hates doing, particularly ones that are away from the group. With subs and masochists, bad attention is the same as good attention; the only real punishment is not giving him attention he desires while forcing him to do the things he hates."

"Right. Thank you for the advice" Sona gratefully said to the spider-woman before turning to Saji and angrily declaring, "You can consider yourself a permanent member of Kuoh Academy's Beautification Club for the foreseeable future! A pervert like you belongs with the other perverts of Kuoh!"

"Nooo!" Saji wailed, the screams of his despair echoed through out the forest.

* * *

As the evening wound down and the group returned to Earth, Sona couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed with the entire trip to the Familiar Forest. Not only had Saji embarrassed himself and her peerage, but he had also failed to find a familiar for himself. The fact that she had used up a favor owed to her by Rias made it all the more frustrating.

Since discovering the true nature of his **[Sacred Gear]** and the inherent danger it posed to him, Sona had tried to give him a little less personal attention until she could figure out what to do with him. That seemed to have been the wrong choice, given his insulting behavior to denizens of the Familiar Forest as well as his crueld words about her baked goods. Quite frankly, she was at a loss on what to do with her **[Pawn]** ; his entire motivation for improving himself seemed to be solely based on his desire to please her.

" _I'll have to put that aside for now and focus on the problems I can fix."_ Sona thought as she and her fiance materialized in the foyer of his hidden home.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." Sona said; however, she quickly became distracted by a very large number of boxes that were stacked by the stairs. Normally her fiance kept everything very clean an orderly, with everything in an assigned place. The fact that his foyer was now filled with over ten different cardboard boxes gave the impression that he was moving a large number of items somewhere. "This can't be the procreation enhancers… What is all this?"

"Payment, for a contract." Ambrose said with a satisfied smile. "Gremory asked me to help Hyoudou out on a devil's contract last night, which was weird. In return I got to keep the payment, so long as I completed the client's wish."

"You went on a devil's contract?" Sona asked in disbelief. "Why wouldn't Rias handle this herself? Hyoudou is her responsibility."

"I don't know, I only accepted because I felt bad for Hyoudou. He seems to be struggling to adapt to his new situation." Ambrose explained, "I honestly can't blame him, the contract was well beyond his skill level. Is sending out a devil to try to complete impossible contracts some sort of hazing?"

"Not really, we normally give new devils tasks that we know they can complete. The whole reason we start off with small things is to build their confidence so they don't get frustrated as they train for the more complex tasks they'll later be required to handle." Sona answered, confused as to why Rias would send her **[Pawn]** out on a pointless task. _"Though I have no idea what sort of skills Hyoudou could have that would enable him complete any sort contract."_

"I hope everything went alright with your meeting with Vladi-kun?" Sona questioned after a moment, "And with your impromptu contract?"

"Yes, Gaspar and I have agreed on an equitable contract, and he seems quite enthusiastic about it. Going out to complete a devil's contract with Hyoudou was a little strange, but I think we both know a certain someone who will be happy with the results." Ambrose said with a smile as he opened up a box for her to inspect.

Sona peered inside, surprised to find a complete collection of 'Magical Milky Girl Spiral' DVDs as well as limited edition figurines and even a replica wand. Sona then looked at the 10 remaining boxes and peeked inside a random one which was crammed with 'Magical Milky Girl Spiral' manga.

"You… you completed a devil's contract and received a payment for a complete Magical Milky Girl Spiral collection?" Sona asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I thought Onee-san would like it." Ambrose explained with pride as he looked at the large stack of boxes in satisfaction.

"You know she's not your Onee-san yet." Sona reminded him, "Technically you haven't met her."

"This isn't my first time travel conundrum." Ambrose dismissively replied with a grin, "But I couldn't pass up this opportunity when it presented itself. I thought it couldn't hurt to have all this stuff if she decides to visit Kuoh. A little something to break the ice." He said, chuckling at his own joke.

"There's something you should know, something I couldn't tell you in front of the others. The Maōs are beginning to take serious interest in you, some of it may not be good." Sona regretfully confessed.

"Your sister?" Ambrose worriedly asked.

"Partially." Sona admitted with a frown. "She apparently bugged my home with some sort of magical surveillance, so she knows we slept together the other night. She's definitely not happy about that, but I think as long as you provide her with the fertility enhancers then it should be fine... eventually. But it's not just Onee-sama you have to worry about."

"So, Maō Lucifer then?" He asked.

Sona affirmatively nodded, "Rias told him about how you threatened to tear her soul out."

"So?"

"So, Maō Lucifer is extremely protective of his sister. He'll probably want to retaliate in response to your threats against Rias." Sona replied trying to impress the seriousness of the situation on him.

"What was I suppose to do, let her get away with attempting to profit off my death, not to mention putting your entire peerage at risk?" Ambrose argued back.

"I'm not excusing her actions." Sona heatedly replied.

"Then why do you keep defending her?" Ambrose asked again, "Why go through this charade of arranging this contract with Gaspar to force Gremory and I to interact with each other if you're not okay with what she's done?"

"Because we can't alienate the Maōs!" Sona argued back in return. "You're going to have to accept what Rias did to you and move on, no matter how much we both hate it. Am-chan, we're not just trying to prevent a war, we're also trying to bring peace between three factions that have been at odds with each other for thousands of years. Your grudge with Rias is a mere children's quarrel in comparison to the blood wars and deathly feuds that have been going on since the three factions were originally created. If you can't set aside your own resentment for Rias, what hope do we have for these three factions to do the same?"

He said nothing in return, although he was obviously still angry. Sona watched as her fiance took a few moments to control his emotions. "Alright," he said after a moment with frustration still evident in his voice, "What do you suggest?"

"It sounds as if Maō Lucifer is your biggest critic, but if Rias is still willing to work with you, then the situation is salvageable. You need to keep working with Gaspar. Also, be prepared to make a lot more of those fertility enhancers than your originally planned because they're going to be in high demand in the Underworld. The entire devil nation needs them, especially the 33 pillars, therefore the Maōs need them as well. The more the Maōs need you, the better off we'll be; so long as you deliever."

"It'll take me awhile to make another Vladimir's Cauldron in order to keep up with the demand for the fertility potions." Ambrose said after a moment of thought. "Unfortunately the new moon is in two weeks, which means I'm going to be swamped with making this month's batch of the cure for lycanthropy in time for the new moon. I wish you would have told me your plan to tell the Maōs about the fertility enhancers so I could have planned ahead."

"I didn't tell Maōs about them." She denied with a shake of her head, "Onee-sama already knew and said that Yasaka told her. Only we didn't tell Yasaka that they worked on devils."

"Gremory said that you told her about the procreation enhancers." Ambrose admitted while bowing his head in thought, "The whole reason she asked me to go with Hyoudou on his contract was because she heard how I negotiated a deal with the Yasaka for the fertility enhancers."

Sona took a deep breath as the implications made themselves clear, "The Maōs are probably watching you too."

"And Gremory is helping them. If she told them about the threat I made against her, then she's telling them everything else she can." Ambrose reasoned with a displeased frown, "Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about it now except accept it as normal for the time being."

" _Damn it Rias, you keep making things more difficult than they have to be._ " Sona frustratingly thought. "Tell me what you need from me to make all your potions."

"Currently, I have a three month stock pile of the cure for lycanthropy set aside for emergency situations, but I'd rather not use it unless I absolutely have to." Ambrose replied handing her a piece of paper with a list of ingredients, "It would really be a big help if you could get me the ingredients I need from the Underworld."

"I'll make sure you get your supplies." Sona promised while looking at the list he gave her. "Dialuminum trioxide? Seriously, Am-chan? You need rubies?"

"Ruby gem dust, it doesn't have to be anything high quality. I just need it in bulk." Ambrose clarified, waving off her concern. "Also, if I'm going to be supplying the entire Devil population with fertility enhancers then I'm going to probably need a bigger garden. A much, much bigger garden. Do you think I could negotiate some land from the Sitri territory?"

"Doubtful." Sona replied with a frown. "While the Sitri land is fertile, it's mainly used as a natural wild life preservation. For agricultural needs we'd have to negotiate with Auros, which is ruled by the Agares Clan."

"Well, we'll put it on the 'to do' list." Ambrose replied a tired sigh. "Anything else?"

"There is one more thing you could do to help smooth things over with Maō Lucifer." Sona tentatively began, knowing this would be the most difficult thing she had ever suggested to her fiance. "You could help Rias end her engagement with Riser Phenex."

Judging by his expression, Ambrose found the suggestion distasteful. He clenched his jaw tight and pursed his lips as if he had eaten a sour lemon, yet he didn't outright reject the idea. "I thought clans don't get involved with each other's business. You and I have a pact, therefore my actions reflect on you and the Sitri Clan."

"True, but she can hire you since she doesn't have a complete peerage." Sona explained in an attempt to highlight something positive. "That means you could charge something for your service to her."

Ambrose frowned at the very idea of helping Rias. "You're assuming that Maō Lucifer wants this union to end."

"Maō Lucifer excessively dotes on Rias, if she wants the engagement to end then he does as well." Sona explained to him.

"Well, someone wants the engagement to happen." Ambrose exasperated said, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Yes." Sona nodded in agreement, "Lord Gremory wants it to go through along with Lord Phenex, they both made the arrangement. The Maōs are prohibited from getting involved internal clan matters, despite the fact that Maō Luicfer was formerly a Gremory. It's a safeguard measure to ensure the nobles retain the right to self govern themselves. So long as the 33 pillars are loyal to the Maōs, then they're free to handle their own affairs with out interference or oversight. If you were to prevent Rias from getting married, Maō Lucifer will be grateful since he, himself, can't directly get involved."

"That doesn't explain how we benefit from ending the arrangement between the Gremory and Phenex clans. Sure, Maō Lucifer may be suspicious of me, he probably doesn't like that I threatened his sister; but you don't get to be the leader of the Underworld with out developing a thick skin." Ambrose pointed out in an attempt to convince her that involving themselves in Gremory business was a bad idea. "Maō Lucifer and his family probably receive threats every hour. If he responded to every threat made against his careless sister then he would never get any work done. What you're suggesting is that I break up a union between 2 of the remaining 33 pillars, pissing them off so that I might be able to smooth things over with a Maō who may not like me."

Sona frowned, realizing that he made a good point but wasn't about to relent. "We could still use her help against Kokabiel."

"You're assuming she can be of help." Ambrose reminded her. "She doesn't have a complete peerage, and the members she does have are untrained and untested. If they can't take on a Phenex, then they'll get slaughtered if they're faced against a Fallen Angel capable of using holy magic."

"So you want us to take on Kokabiel and his followers by ourselves?" Sona skeptically asked, a bit uncomfortable with the idea of them going at it alone.

"When he does arrive, I'm going to be with you the entire time." Ambrose reminded her, "And until he does arrive I can help you and your peerage learn fight against someone who has holy power. Not only can I act as an opponent to help train them, but I can deliberately expose your peerage to holy energy in order to help them build up a tolerance."

" _That does sound like it would be useful training."_ Sona privately admitted to herself, _"But that still doesn't mean we still couldn't use Rias's help."_

"You're also forgetting about the Phenex Clan." Ambrose said after a moment.

"What about the Phenex Clan?" Sona curiously inquired.

"We're on the brink of a major war, and the Phenex Clan are the creators of the greatest natural healing concoction known to exist. By breaking up the engagement between Phenex and Gremory, we would not only piss them off but weaken both clans. It would be unwise to make an enemy out of them, especially since the Phenex Clan might deny your family's hospitals their services in retaliation for interfering with their arrangement with the Gremory Clan."

" _Damn it, he's right."_ Sona thought while holding back her tears of frustration. _"I want to save Rias, but I can't jeopardize my own clan."_

"I know you want to help her." Ambrose said in an attempt to comfort her, "You've probably done more to help her than anyone else. But Gremory is responsible for her own fate."

" _It's true."_ Sona reminded herself. _"I always gave her first pick of Kuoh's students. Her brother gave her the majority of her peerage, and even I brought her the Red Dragon Emperor. Rias has always been dependent on her brother from a young age, and never really learned to take care of her own problems on her own."_

It was a painful truth, but one that Sona had to accept. As she looked to her fiance, she saw that he wasn't pleased with the outcome either. There was no gloating, no smugness, nor any vindication that he was right. Instead he looked at her in sorrow that the woman he loved was helpless to aid her friend.

"Am-chan, I..."

 **GONG**

Sona's words were interrupted by a loud sound which echoed throughout the entire house. "What was that?"

"The wards." Ambrose replied in alarm. "Someone just tried to breach my wards!"

"But the house is protected, right?" Sona asked in trepidation. _"Who could have found this place? Are we under attack?"_

"Not this place, this house is always a half a second away from appearing." Ambrose reminded her, "Someone just tried to break into the apartment that Asia's staying it."

"What?"

"The wards managed to keep the intruder out, but I need you to teleport over there, grab Asia, and bring her back here." Ambrose said with a determined look. "I'm going to investigate and find out who just tried to break in Asia's apartment."

"Right." Sona resolutely replied. "Be careful, Am-chan."

"I'll be fine." Ambrose comfortingly said before disappearing within his own magical circle.

Sona wasted no time after that and quickly teleported over to the apartment building across the street. As she materialized she immedately was on the look out for threats, though the living room was dark and everything seemed quiet. "Asia!" She called out, receiving no reply, "Asia!"

"Sona-Kaichō!" Asia called out, exiting her bedroom still wearing her nightie. "What's going on? What was that noise?"

"Someone tried to break in." Sona firmly answered, "Am-chan's gone to see who it was, but in the meantime we have to get you somewhere safe."

"Where are we going?" Asia fearfully asked.

"We're going to Ambrose's house, but we have to get there on foot." Sona urgently replied, "I can't teleport you there with me, so we're going to have to make a run for it."

"But if you can't teleport me over there, shouldn't we stay here?" Asia worriedly asked, "There could be someone waiting for us outside."

" _Damn it, it would be easier if I could teleport her with me. If only Am-chan hadn't rushed off to confront the intruder."_ Sona privately realized, wishing there was a better way to get Asia someplace safe. "Anyone trying to break in won't be expecting me to be with you." She replied, trying to comfort the ex-nun.

 **GONG**

The entire apartment was rocked by another attempt to breach the wards, the cabinet doors rattled, and a few picture frames fell off the wall.

" _That was much more powerful than the last attempt."_ Sona alarmingly thought. "We have to go now. I don't know if these wards are going to hold up, or how long they'll last. We only have to get across the street and then we'll be safe."

"Okay." Asia nervously replied.

"Here, grab a hold and don't let go." Sona said as she held out her hand. "I can get you into his wards. Once we cross the street, we'll be safe. Until then we're going to have to run through the hall, down the stairs and outside of the door."

Asia gave Sona a courageous nod and the pair quickly ran out of the room. They didn't stop for anything, didn't look back for a moment, and practically leapt down the stairs in order to reach the ground floor. Sona lead the way out of the building, nearly tearing the apartment building's door off of its frame as they exited, moving so fast that she practially pulled Asia across the street and through the gate of Ambrose's backyard.

It was only then, after they were safely behind the house wards did Sona look back behind them.

" _It appears no one was following us."_ She realized before turning to the former nun. "Are you alright?"

"I think I pulled a muscle as you dragged me out." Asia painfully replied, while healing her shoulder with her **[Sacred Gear]**. "But I'll be alright, just give me a minute."

"We're safe now." Sona said as the adrenaline slowly left her system. "I'm sure you'll be able to stay the night here. We should also wait for Am-chan to see who tried to break in the apartment."

"You don't know who it was?" Asia nervously asked.

"No." Sona replied with a shake of her head. "But whoever it is, Am-chan is going to make them regret what they tried to do."

* * *

At Kuoh's Sewage Reclamation Facility, Rias Gremory was currently hacking and coughing after fishing herself out of the most foul smelling human waste imaginable. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time she had found herself in such a position.

" _I should have known better than to try and teleport directly to him."_ Rias thought as she tried to keep herself from throwing up due to the smell which permeated around her. _"First I find out the wedding is being forced upon me in a few days, now I'm thrown back into this disgusting filth while looking for help. Can this day get any worse?"_

"Care to explain why you thought breaking into my apartment was a good idea?" A familiar voice asked.

" _I spoke too soon."_ Rias realized as she looked through her soiled hair and saw Ambrose floating above it all.

He was not pleased.

"I wanted to talk to you." She weakly began before he interrupted her.

"So you decided to break into the apartment where Asia lives?" Ambrose asked her, the disbelief evident in his tone. "You realize I don't live with Asia, I have my own home."

"Your records show you live in that apartment." Rias pointed out.

"It's a forwarding address, used to keep nosy people away. Tell me, what's so important that couldn't wait until tomorrow?" Ambrose rhetorically asked. "What could possibly be so important that you would try to break into my apartment in the middle of the night; not only scaring me but Sona and poor Asia as well?"

"Sona was with you too?" Rias said in bewilderment. "I've been trying to get ahold of her all night."

"We only just got back from the Familiar Forest, and you'll recall that my wards prohibit most forms of communication." The alchemist reminded her before his eyes suddenly widened in alarm.

He quickly conjured a powerful magical shield that completely enveloped him before an explosion of human waste erupted from the center of the sewage reservoir. They both then watched with wide eyes as a figure broke the surface before slowly swimming towards the edge and hauled itself out before choking desperately for air.

"I take it this is a friend of yours?" Ambrose irritably asked.

Rias watched the individual crawl out of the sewage pit, heaving for air while trying not to throw up as each breath filled her lungs with the foul scent of excrement. To Rias's horror, she knew exactly who this individual was.

"Grayfia" Rias whispered, almost in disbelief that she was present at all.

At the sound of her name, the maid of the Gremory Clan, but more importantly wife and **[Queen]** to Sirzechs Lucifer, looked up up at the pair in shock at the present situation.

"Another devil?" Ambrose asked, unconcerned at who this individual was. "They do teach devils that trespassing is genuinely frowned upon, correct?"

But Rias was unable to respond to Ambrose's question. Never before had she seen the strict and proper maid in such a disheveled state. She apprehensively watched her sister-in-law, waiting for the outburst that was surely to come. However, Grayfia didn't move an inch, her eyes were solely focused on the young man who floated above them.

"I don't really want to stay out here all night, so we're going to postpone this little meeting of ours." Ambrose said, unconcerned of the state of things. "Tomorrow Gremory, tomorrow you and I will settle…" he said making a hand motion between the two, "whatever this is between us. I'm growing very tired of your games, but I think an explanation can wait until you're in a better state." He finished before disappearing in a magical circle.

Rias cautiously turned her attention back to The Strongest Queen, the Silver Haired Queen of Annihilation. "Grayfia, I can explain..."

"He's alive." Grayfia interrupted with a breathless whisper while tears ran down her cheeks. "My son is alive."


	17. Season 1, Chapter 9

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

The students of Kuoh Academy held a relatively high opinion of Tomoe Meguri, despite her reputation as being the school's gossip. She was considered attractive with her reddish brown hair and light brown eyes, but her main attributes were her cheerful disposition and positive outlook on life.

Truthfully, she couldn't help being hyperactive and positive about everything in her life considering that she was cursed while still in her mother's womb. Despite her parents being notable exorcists, they were unable to protect their unborn daughter from harm from a vengeful evil spirit. And so when Tomoe was born, she was asleep. At first the doctor's feared she was stillborn; however, a slap to her infant bottom confirmed that she was, in fact, alive. She let out two tiny wails before promptly falling back to sleep, and that's how she spent her entire childhood; asleep. Her parents tried to keep her awake, but as time went on Tomoe's waking moments would happen less and less. She would eat and drink in her sleep, her parents would wash and bathe her while she slept. Everything happened around her while she slept.

It was a desolate existence.

All that changed when her parents made a deal with a devil in order to break the curse. After spending her entire childhood asleep, Tomoe awoke for the first time in years to the face of her **[King]** , Sona Sitri. Unbeknownst to her, Tomoe's parents made a deal with a devil and in exchange for breaking the curse Sona had turned her into a devil herself, specifically a **[Knight]**. What followed afterwards was a difficult transition. Tomoe had been asleep nearly her entire life and now she was suddenly thrust into a state of wakefulness. There was so much for her to see, so much to experience, and most importantly so much to learn. In the beginning Tomoe could barely speak, having only heard snippets of words from her parents while she slept. She couldn't read, write, or even move that much due to muscle atrophy.

Her **[King]** took it upon herself, and her reputation as a future educator, to teach her everything she would need to be a fully functioning teenager who could enjoy life to the fullest. It was a long and difficult process, one that Sona couldn't do by herself. There were many teachers, as well as tutors such as Tsubaki; nevertheless, after five years Tomoe was able to pass her high school entrance exams and live as a normal girl.

Well, a normal devil girl.

While Tomoe could be considered smart enough to pass her exams and do relatively well in class, she could admit to herself that she wasn't the most diligent student, nor was she emotionally mature. She wanted to believe that people were genuinely good, though some would call her innocent because of that. She knew that tendency could be seen as a weakness by some devils, she had been warned about it before, but it was a weakness she was willing to bear. Tomoe loved life, she loved people, and she wanted to experience as much of it as possible. After spending so much of her life asleep, Tomoe didn't want to miss anything life offered and thought that cruelty and deceit was a huge waste of time. She wanted to know everyone, participate in everything, and share in people's triumphs and burdens.

So when Sona her mentor and **[King]** , announced that she was suddenly engaged, Tomoe couldn't help but feel a wide mélange of things. Surprise, was definitely first and foremost, as well as excitement for her **[King]**. There was also a large amount of curiosity as well, since Sona was the first amongst their group to actually have a boyfriend, let alone a fiance. Tomoe wanted to believe that Ambrose's intentions towards Sona were honorable, so she decided find the time in order to have private chat with him in order to ensure that he would treat her **[King]** right. And so, when Tomoe saw the aforementioned alchemist walking down the hall during the lunch break, she didn't hesitate to approach him.

"Yaho, Am-kun!" Tomoe called out in her typical cheerful manner.

Ambrose, who was looking a bit lost, looked up in surprise. "Oh, hello Tomoe. Off to the student council room for lunch?"

"No." Tomoe shook her head, "I usually have my lunch with different people every day. Most clubs know to come to me to schedule an appointment with Souna-Kaichō, since I'm secretary of the student council."

"Ahh, you're a glorified doorman." Ambrose teased with a smile.

"I prefer the term, door-woman." Tomoe corrected him with a grin. "What are you doing out on your lunch break? You usually eat lunch in your classroom."

"I wanted to check up on Asia Argento, the recent transfer student." Ambrose earnestly replied. "Have you met her yet?"

"No, not yet. I was busy with Kaichō's special errand when she officially became a part of Kuoh Academy, and since then I haven't had the opportunity. Care to introduce me?" Tomoe asked, wanting to also spend some time with her **[King]** 's fiance in an effort to understand him better.

"I don't mind but..." he trailed off as he looked down the hallway at the classroom numbers, "I'm not exactly sure what class she's in."

"I think she shares her class with Hyoudou-kun and the perverts of Kuoh Academy." Tomoe replied after a moment. "Why do you want to check up on her?"

"Someone tried to break into her apartment last night." Ambrose mentioned while frowning at the memory. "It's reminded me that she's still might be in danger and I wanted to make sure she was settling in her classes."

"Someone tried to break into Argento's apartment?" Tomoe replied in alarm.

"Don't spread it around, but it was Gremory." Ambrose whispered so as not to be overheard. "Not sure why she wanted to break into Asia's apartment but Souna-Kaichō and I will be having a talk with her after school in order to get to the bottom of things."

"Rias-senpai has been acting strangely lately." Tomoe commented with a frown. "Endangering everyone by not warning us about the Fallen, not to mention what she tried to do with you. By the way, thanks again for your help with the church, and for what you did last night in the forest."

"Don't worry about it." Ambrose dismissively replied. "While I'm not a member of the peerage, I'm still a member of the Clan. I'm certainly not going to stand by and let anything happen to you all while it's in my power to stop it."

Tomoe looked at Ambrose and smiled in gratitude; she could see why Sona liked him. They both were serious, disciplined, yet kind and protective of those they felt a responsibility towards. Tomoe could almost consider him handsome; he had a pretty-boy face, kind eyes and a nice smile. But Ambrose was too tall, his body was well built and too much like a young man's. Quite honestly Tomoe preferred younger boys.

"You and Kaichō make a cute couple." Tomoe cheerfully observed aloud.

"Think so?" Ambrose replied with a light blush.

"Uh huh. They're calling you the Royal Couple of Kuoh, the King and Queen of the school."

"Really? … I'm the king, right?" Ambrose asked, looking a bit worried for a moment which caused Tomoe to laugh loudly.

"Yes, you're the king. But it's more than just the rumors which make you a cute couple." Tomoe said after she caught her breath. "Kaichō seems a bit different now…"

"Oh? How so?"

"I suppose the best example would be her baking." Tomoe said after pondering it for a moment. "It's like she's really gotten good at it all of a sudden. I guess she wants to impress her new man."

"Maybe." Ambrose blushed in return.

"Here we are." Tomoe said as they stopped by a classroom. "I believe Argento-san is in this room. Mind if I tag along so I can meet her?"

"Not at all." Ambrose said as he held the door open for her and the pair entered the loud and rambunctious classroom.

It appeared as if a large argument was currently going on between the perverted trio and a young brunette with gold eyes and glasses. They were currently forming a small circle with Asia Argento off to the side who watched helplessly as the four quarreled back and forth.

"You bitch!" Issei yelled at the female student while pointing his finger at her. "Don't say unnecessary things like that."

"Why not Hyoudou? It isn't as if you have anything to be ashamed of." The pig tailed brunette said before turning to the blonde nun next to her. "Asia, you should probably snag Issei while you can. While he has low prospects for the future, he might be worth breaking in."

"Breaking in?" Asia inquired with confusion.

"Hey, stop filling Asia's head with nonsense, Kiryuu" Issei vehemently protested. "She doesn't need you to corrupt her."

"You mean, you want to corrupt her all by yourself." Aika teased before turning her ominous gaze towards the remaining pair of the perverted trio.

"Damn you!" Matsuda shouted as he and Motohama quickly covered their crotches with their hands in an effort to defend themselves from an unseen attack. "Don't think you can match Motohama's scouter ability!"

"Covering it up is useless. It only increases the details of my scouter. Looks like you both are well below Japan's national average. You're doomed to be virgins for life." Aika Kiryuu replied with a sinister grin as she adjusted her glasses, causing a glare of light to reflect off of them. "You can't hide from my scouter, all your measurements are laid bare before me."

"Yo, Asia!" Ambrose said, calling out across the room to the noisy crowd.

As one, the rowdy group all turned their attention to the pair who entered the room, when suddenly...

"Puar!" Aiki Kiryuu yelled as a massive nosebleed erupted like a geyser from her and she fell to the floor in a dead faint.

"Aiki-san!" Asia called out in alarm, who then rushed to her friend.

"Kiryuu's Down!"

Tomoe and Ambrose quickly rushed over to the fallen girl who was bleeding from both nostrils. Her eyes were swirling; she appeared to be dazed and confused while babbling to herself. "~It's over 9,000~"

"She's bleeding." Tomoe alarmingly exclaimed. "Did she hit her head?"

"I think she's just bleeding from the nose." Ambrose observed as he knelt down next to the girl. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, gently patting the girl's cheek.

"Ehhh..." Aika moaned as she slowly came too and saw the crimson haired young man kneeling down in front of her. Her face immediately turned red, her eyes rolled back up in her head and she passed out again.

"Auuu, we should get her to the clinic." Asia said, wringing her hands in worry.

"I'll carry her there." Ambrose said as he picked up the fallen student in a bridal carry style, causing the girl to giggle in her delirious state.

"You two should follow me, I'll show you where it is." Tomoe offered, her customary smile now hiding a deeper meaning. Now she felt assured that her initial impression of her **[King]** 's new fiance were, in fact, true. He was kind and helpful to strangers, only saving his ire to those who have earned it. He also appeared to have a sense of humor, if in an innocent way. Ambrose was also devoted to Sona, judging by how he ignored Aika Kiryuu swooning in favor of seeking out medical attention for the biggest female pervert of Kuoh. All in all, Tomoe was satisfied with her inspection of Sona's fiance and happily vowed to support their relationship.

* * *

Sona Sitri had spent the entire day doing something that was a bit out of character for her; she was ignoring a problem, hoping that it would go away and solve itself. After Sona had retrieved Asia from her apartment last night, Ambrose had returned shortly after and informed them that it was Rias who was responsible for trying to breech the wards, along with another devil who he believed was called "Grayfia".

Sona had quickly put the pieces together from that point; however, there was little she could do about it at the time. Asia had to be reassured that she wasn't in danger, and after that Sona had to return to her own apartment so as not to upset her sister any more than she already was. She still hadn't found all of those magical surveillance devices and trying to disable them would only exacerbate the situation between her Onee-sama and fiance. In the meantime, Sona didn't know what to think about Rias's attempt to break into Asia's apartment but the presence of The Strongest **[Queen]** , Grayfia, was telling indeed.

" _The time has come for Rias to fulfill her obligation to her family."_ Sona realized with a frown marring her features.

Going by the recordings from her counterpart, Sona had originally guessed that Rias had about two more weeks until Riser would push for the pair to marry. That was two more weeks Sona had planned to use in order to try and convince her fiance that helping Rias was in their best interest. But it seemed that the barren and desolate future Ambrose had shown her was rushing to meet them head-on ever since they both had returned to the present. They hadn't even arrived back from the future for 24 hours before Rayner had made her first move, and ever since then Sona felt like they were constantly playing 'catch-up' in order to get a handle on things. While they did manage to deal a decisive blow against the Old Satan Faction of the Khaos Brigade, it still seemed like it wasn't enough.

It was because of this hopeless feeling of trying to change fate itself, that Sona understood her childhood friend's desperation. But Rias had to have realized that her ham-fisted attempt to barge into Ambrose's home in the middle of the night in order to some how convince him to help her was doomed to fail from the start.

" _If only she had been this determined from the beginning and used that desperation to train her peerage for this moment."_

Unfortunately, it seemed that time had run out for Rias to help herself and for Sona to help her friend. Getting Ambrose's assistance with Rias's fiance situation was a long shot ever since she tried to turn him into a devil against his will. Any good will her childhood friend had earned through his contract with Gaspar seemed to have all but evaporated with her attempt at breaking and entering last night. Further complicating the issue was the discovery that Rias was spying on Ambrose for the Maōs, likely ruining any future attempts at friendly overtures between the alchemist and the leaders of the Devil Nation.

" _It's a wretched state of things when my friends are causing more problems than my enemies."_

Sadly, she had been unable to get a moment alone with Ambrose in order to gauge his mood on last night's events. Sona's duties as student council president meant that she hadn't had time to speak to him during their lunch break; she even had to turn away Rias who came by to try to explain things again. Truthfully, Sona didn't know what to tell her friend, or perhaps she just didn't have the heart to tell Rias that she had done all that she could to help.

Nevertheless, Sona knew that she couldn't ignore the problem indefinitely; once again she was being asked to mediate in a dispute between Ambrose and Rias. She didn't know Ambrose's purpose behind requesting another meeting with Rias, but Sona could definitely tell that he was tired of her antics. There was a certain "finality" to this meeting that left her feeling a bit apprehensive.

And so it was, with a heavy heart, that Sona and Ambrose left for the Occult Research Club after she instructed Tsubaki to take over her responsibilities for the day. The couple didn't speak to each other the entire way, and quite frankly Sona didn't really know what to say. Ambrose had been correct that trying to break up the engagement between Clan Phenex and Clan Gremory might have serious repercussion for her own Clan. As much as she wanted to help Rias, her hands were effectively tied.

As they approached the building, she listlessly greeted Kiba, Hyoudou, and Toujou, who met them as they made their way to the old school building.

"Hey, Kaichō. You've known Buchou for a while, haven't you?" Issei hesitatingly asked as they climbed the steps leading to the old school building, "Do you have any idea what's been bothering her lately?"

Sona couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips. The gravity of the situation was impressed even further since the normally oblivious Hyoudou could tell there was something wrong.

"It isn't my place to say." Sona replied with a shake of her head.

The small group entered the Occult Research Club and into the main gathering room where most of the business for the Gremory peerage was held. Inside, Rias was sitting behind her desk with her **[Queen]** , Akeno standing next to her. And there, standing in front of the desk, was Grayfia Lucifuge the **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer.

"Whoa, a hot maid!" Issei excitedly stated, "Buchou, are we all going to eventually get hot maids for our service to the club?"

"Damn pervert." Koneko muttered, stomping on Issei's foot as she marched past him to claim her usual seat.

Sona didn't respond to Hyoudou's typical perverted statement nor his antics of hopping on one foot while holding his injured one in pain. She simply watched the newly turned **[Pawn]** , and began to feel as if she might have actually hindered her friend by allowing him to join Rias's peerage.

"Issei..." Rias said, frustration lacing the tone of her voice. "Behave yourself."

"This is him?" Grayfia curiously asked with a bit of uncertainty, "The Red Dragon Emperor?"

"Yeah, I guess so..." Hyoudou hesitatingly admitted.

"How do you do? I am Grayfia, a servant of the Gremory family." The maid said before respectfully bowing.

"S-Same." Hyoudou replied, uncomfortable with the maid's formality.

Grayfia then turned her attention to Ambrose and left Rias's side to approach him before bowing specifically to him. "And you must be Ambrose, the alchemist I've heard so much about. I am very pleased to meet you."

"Likewise." Ambrose guardedly replied, giving a small nod in return though he never took his eyes off of her.

"I'd like to apologize for my role in the events of last night." Grayfia politely began, "It was not my intention to offend you, nor to trespass onto your property."

"You were simply following Gremory, correct?" Ambrose deduced and received a nod in confirmation from the maid in return. "It's quite alright. You're not the only person who's gotten into trouble due to Gremory's thoughtlessness." he said, causing Rias's face to twitch in annoyance.

"I understand Milady has not been behaving as a proper noble should." Grayfia apologetically continued, "The Maōs have been made aware of her attempt to force you into her peerage."

"Are they planning on doing anything about it?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Unfortunately there's nothing the Maōs can do since she technically didn't break any of our laws." Grayfia replied with a shake of her head. "Had she actually succeeded, then she would have been punished according to our laws. As things currently stand, her punishment will be decided by Lord Gremory."

" _I doubt Rias's father will kick up a huge fuss over this."_ Sona doubtfully thought. _"It's no surprise that Lord Gremory would spoil and protect his daughter, and any damage to her character at this point might jeopardize the marriage between Rias and Riser."_

"So then, nothing will happen?" Ambrose rhetorically asked, giving Rias an irritable look. "I'm done." He suddenly said with a shake of his head before turning to the exit. "I shouldn't have even bothered to come."

"Wait!" Rias called out in alarm. "Please, I want to apologize."

"Save it." Ambrose snapped, turning his attention back to Rias. "I'm not even mad about you trying to break into Asia's apartment. I've come to expect such behavior from you. I don't want your apologies because quite frankly they don't amount to anything. You've been spying on me since my first day of school while you plotted to turn me into a devil against my will. You apologized for that, only for me to catch you and your **[Queen]** skulking around the church while I was doing all of you a favor. You say you went there to help me, despite being warned not to show up at all. Though to be honest, I can't be certain you weren't trying to turn me against my will once again. How many times have you apologized for you actions only to turn around and show that you're not sorry at all? Despite all of this, I sat by and said nothing while you were introduced to your newest **[Pawn]** , a young man who I literally brought back from the dead. I even agreed to form a contract with Gaspar, despite my reservations. I've been more than cooperative when you consider my list of grievances. Now I discover that you've been reporting on my activities to the Maōs who are now spying on me as well. With a few words you've caused them to not only distrust me but you've also quite possibly ruined my chance for a good first impression with Maō Leviathan."

Both Rias and Grayfia stiffened in surprise at the accusation; though caught off guard neither of them denied it.

"Tell me, what have I done to earn such suspicion? Have I not been helpful enough? Was unraveling a plot to frame both peerages for the murder of Asia not enough? Was discovering a coup attempt against the Maōs not good enough to prove that I can be trustworthy?" Ambrose continued to angrily ask. "I've done all of this with out asking for anything in return. What is it Gremory, what more do you want from me?"

Ambrose's clamoring monologue was cut short as magical circle appeared on the ground, bathing the entire room in an orange glow. It spun for a full rotation before a stream of fire erupted from the center and the loud screech of a Phoenix filled the room. From the depths of the flames, a lone figure appeared. His blonde hair framed his face except for a small bit that was pointed up in a tuft.

The figure gave a tired sigh before turning to the group. "I haven't been to the human realm in a while."

"Phenex." Rias whispered in disdain.

" _This is it. It's really happening..."_." Sona depressingly thought.

"I have come to collect you Rias, my dear." Riser haughtily stated with an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Who is this guy?" Hyoudou asked in confusion.

"This gentleman is Riser Phenex-sama. A pure-blooded, upper class devil and the third son of the Phenex family." Grayfia said, introducing the latest guest to the Occult Research Club.

"Phenex family?" Hyoudou inquired.

"He is also the fiance of the Gremory family's heiress apparent" Grayfia dutifully explained.

"The Gremory family's heiress apparent?" Hyoudou repeated, unable to comprehend what was going on around him.

" _Do we have to spell it out for you, Hyoudou?"_ Sona irritability thought.

"That is to say, he's engaged to Lady Rias." Grayfia explained with more patience than Sona thought she could muster.

"Lady Sona, what an unexpected pleasure to see you." Riser unctuously said, his words giving off a smug and oily feeling. "Would you care to join us for tea? It might be awhile before you see your friend Rias again after today."

Rias visibly twitched at the irritating remark.

While put off by Riser's disingenuous attempt at feigned politeness as well as his presumption to invite her for tea in a territory that was not his own, Sona knew that to refuse would be impolite. No matter how much she hated to look at his smarmy face, Sona could not afford to upset him; her family depended on the Phenex Tear Elixir.

"Thank you." Sona replied, her tone measured and emotionless to giving away nothing.

Rias and Riser sat next to each other on the couch, while Sona sat down across from them with her fiance sitting next to her.

"What's this?" Riser asked, his attention drawn to Ambrose. "Someone needs to teach their servants that it's impolite to sit with their betters. Who is this person?"

Sona gave an annoyed sigh, _"I should have expected this from an elitist like Riser."_

"This is Ambrose, the magician who I've recently made a pact with." Sona explained to her fellow peer while internally bracing herself for the condescending remarks she knew were about to come. "He's also my fiance."

"Fiance?" Riser asked in surprise as he looked over at Ambrose curiously. "You're engaged to a magician?"

"That's right." Ambrose stoically replied, offering nothing more.

Riser patronizingly shook his head in disappointment. "How far the Sitri Clan has fallen, to resort to engaging themselves with garbage like this. It's a shame that the only decent pure blood devil who was willing to take pity on you eventually broke your engagement. You could at least turn this magician into a low-born trash devil before publicly claiming him as your fiance, it would still be a sight better than being engaged to a human."

"Mind your place, Phenex." Sona said, her eyes narrowing in anger. "While the Phenex Clan may hold the title of Marquis, I'll remind you that the Sitri Clan still ranks higher than both Phenex and Gremory combined."

"My apologizes." Riser placatingly said with a false smile as Akeno set a pair of tea cups on the coffee table before Rias and Riser.

Grayfia then approached Ambrose, serving him and then Sona a cup of tea before stepping aside to continue to observe the scene.

Riser took advantage of the lull in the conversation to reach for his cup and as he reclined back into his seat, he draped his arm over Rias in order to play with her hair before taking a sip. "My Rias's **[Queen]** prepares quite delicious tea."

"Thank you for the compliment, but this tea was prepared by Grayfia-san" Akeno replied without smiling before moving to stand next to the aforementioned maid.

Sona took a moment to calm down by taking a sip of the tea that Grayfia prepared.

" _It's surprisingly good."_ Sona thought, realizing that she had never been served tea prepared by the maid before. Curiously, she looked over at the **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer, only to see that Grayfia's attention was glued to her fiance.

"Cut it out already." Rias said, interrupting Sona's train of thought as she slapped Riser's hand away from her thigh before standing up and away from Riser's embrace. "Riser, I told you last time that I don't intend to marry you."

"But Rias," Riser pretentiously began, "This isn't the time for you to be selfish. Both of our families agreed to this match for the good of our people. The entire devil nation struggles to preserve the lineages of pure-blooded devils after the loss of 39 extinct clans. Even some of the remaining 33 pillars are sullying their lineage with trash." Riser finished, shooting a dirty look at Sona who then gave her own scathing look in return.

"My family is worried over nothing. I will get married one day, but it will be to a man of my own choosing. That man will never be you, Riser." Rias firmly declared.

Riser's response was immediate, he quickly invaded Rias's personal space, cupping her chin between his fingers as he harshly whispered, "You realize that I am the face of the Phenex Clan. I will not allow you to sully my honor and the honor of my family. I will take you back to the underworld, even if it means burning all your servants to ashes."

Riser's irises began to glow with an internal flame as Rias began to gather her own power.

"Buchou!" Hyoudou yelled, ready to fight for his **[King]**.

"Everyone, please calm down." Grayfia coolly stated, immediate calming the hostile environment by her presence alone. "Milady, Riser-sama, as I am here on the orders of Maō Lucifer I do not intend to stand idly by and let you both bring dishonor to both of your clans."

"Who am I to argue with the mightiest queen?" Riser stilted with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Maō Lucifer expected that this might happen. As such, I have been charged to carry out a last resort measure if no agreement is reached." Grayfia stated as a matter-of-factly.

"You mean a rating game, don't you Grayfia?" Rias asked with a frown while stubbornly crossing her arms.

"Correct." Grayfia replied, "If you two can not come to an agreement, then you're both welcome to settle the issue through a Rating Game."

"Rating Game?" Hyoudou asked, unfamiliar with the term.

" _Honestly, Rias. Did you teach your **[Pawn]** anything at all?"_ Sona thought in disappointment.

"It's a game that resembles chess." Kiba Yuuto helpfully explained, "where upper-class devils fight using their servants like chess pieces."

"Chess?" Hyoudou asked, still not understanding the concept.

"It's why our powers are similar to chess pieces. Why we're called **[Evil Pieces]**." Akeno clarified for their newest member.

"I have played many rating games before and won many times as well." Riser arrogantly boasted to Rias with a smirk. "You're not an officially qualified player, nor do you have any experience what so ever. Rias, are you sure you wish to face off against me with so few servants of your own?" Riser asked with a dark chuckle and snapped his fingers.

Another Phenex Clan transportation circle appeared, and from within its orange flame came Riser's entire peerage. Though Sona had never personally seen them before, she pretty much knew what to expect. A peerage made up of 15 young women and girls, from nearly every perverted genre type that existed.

"Behold, my ultimate harem peerage." Riser exclaimed proudly as he presented his servants for everyone's inspection.

"Ahhhhhh!" Hyoudou loudly shouted, causing everyone in the entire room to look at him in surprise. "Fifteen Beautiful Girls! He's Got Them All! Maid Girls, Chinese Girls, Dark Skinned Girls, Samurai Girls, Western Sword Girls, Kimono Girls, Girls With Huge Breasts, Girls With Small Breasts, Loli's, TWO SETS OF TWINS!" Issei shouted out loud with tears pouring down his eyes. "What A True Man! I'm so jealous."

" _I can't believe I foisted this pervert onto Rias's peerage."_ Sona shamefully thought.

Even Riser Phenex was taken back by Hyoudou's outburst. "H-Hey Rias that servant of yours is crying out loud while looking at me." He uncomfortably observed.

"Forming a harem is his dream." Rias embarrassingly admitted as Issei continued to cry in the background.

"That's creepy." said a small devil whose blonde pigtails spiraled down like drill bits.

" _He even has his little sister in his peerage?"_ Sona realized, recognizing Ravel Phenex by her reputation. _"That's what I would call creepy."_

"Oh, I see what's bothering your servant." Riser darkly chucked before calling his **[Queen]** over. "Yubelluna."

"Yes, Riser-sama." The purple haired devil, known as the Bomb **[Queen]** , replied as she obediently approached her **[King]**.

Riser turned to his **[Queen]** and cupped her chin before lewdly kissing her deeply in front of everyone. Rias and her peerage were shocked by his display of affection, and quite honestly Sona felt a bit of revulsion from the scene. Riser continued to ignore them all until the kiss ended and he turned to Issei while vulgarly groping Yubelluna in front of him.

"Hey kid." Riser taunted with an arrogant smile, "You'll never be able to do things like this, you'll probably die a virgin."

Hyoudou's face visibly twitched and grew red in anger at that last remark. "Shut Up! How dare you flirt with other girls even after saying you plan on marrying Buchou!"

"Hyoudou, you're in no position to judge him. Your life's dream is to have a harem." Ambrose suddenly spoke up, incredulous at what Hyoudou actually had said. "What exactly do you think happens in a harem?"

Hyoudou's bluster fizzled out as he realized that being in a harem literally meant being in a relationship with multiple girls at the same time. "I don't care." He then shouted, shaking himself out of his stump and summoning his twice critical **[Boosted Gear]**. "We don't need a rating game, I'll take this chicken shit down right here!"

"Mira!" Riser called out, gaining the attention of a small blue haired girl wearing a white haori with a red obi. The devil, Mira, jumped out from Riser's peerage and stared at Issei with her light brown eyes, clearly unimpressed by what she saw.

"Wait, I can't hurt a girl." Issei said out loud to himself as he faced off against the petite bluenette.

" _Idiot."_ Sona thought, recalling all the times Hyoudou had been beaten by nearly every single female club member at Kuoh Academy.

Mira responded to Hyoudou's hesitation be jabbing him in the stomach with her wooden staff before flinging him up in the air. Hyoudou, reacting as if he had the wind knocked out of him, fruitlessly gasped for air as the inertia left him up on the ceiling for a full five seconds before he limply fell to the floor.

"Issei!" Asia cried out and rushed to his side to heal him.

"Issei!" Rias yelled as she rushed to check on her unconscious **[Pawn]**.

"Is this all you have to offer, Rias?" Riser asked in mock disappointment. "My ultimate harem peerage against your five servants."

"Four servants." Grayfia corrected. "The young blonde is not a member of Milady's peerage and her fifth servant is unable to participate in a rating game."

Riser derisively laughed loudly at that. "Four servants against my peerage. Rias, you might as well give up now."

"I'll never give up." Rias defiantly glared at Riser as she continued to kneel next to her fallen **[Pawn]**. "I will never willingly marry you, ever."

"Tell you what; if you're so determined to fight me then it's only fair I give you an actual chance." Riser tauntingly replied, "I'll not only give you 10 days to train your peerage, but I'll let you recruit any free piece you can in order to make things a little more fair. I'm sure Lady Sona would be willing to provide you with a member of her peerage."

Rias immediately looked to Ambrose in hope; however, Sona withheld her consent for a moment in order to ensure her own Clan's protection. "If I allowed such a thing, it might reflect poorly on the relations between my Clan and Clan Phenex."

"Not to worry." Riser replied while dismissively waving his hand, "I've been granted the authority to negotiate on behalf of my Clan for the duration of this meeting, and I promise you that the Sitri Clan will suffer no ill repercussion from lending a piece to my future bride."

That all but sealed the deal in Sona's mind, and she quickly turned her head to implore her fiance to accept.

"You have got to be kidding me." Ambrose muttered in disbelief.

"Please." Rias begged, falling into a kowtow position; with her forehead touching the floor. "Please, I know you have no reason what so ever to help me, but please. I'll give you anything you want, anything at all. Please, I beg you to help me."

Sona watched her fiance carefully, trying to glean some sort of insight into what he was thinking or what he might do. He was remarkably unreadable in this moment, though there was a bit of irritation present. Ambrose had been decisively verbal during his diatribe against Rias, but ever since Riser Phenex made his unannounced visit to the Occult Research Club her fiance had remained strangely silent. He only spoke two words to Riser, and the only other time he spoke was to express his disbelief that Hyoudou would object to Riser's treatment of women since Hyoudou, himself, wanted a harem of his own.

Ambrose continued to watch Rias as she prostrated herself on the ground. He then turned to look at Grayfia of all people.

" _Most likely trying to figure out what Maō Lucifer might want."_ Sona reasoned, though she knew the Silver-haired **[Queen]** of Annihilation would give away no visual clues.

He then turned his attention to Sona.

" _Please,"_ She silently begged, _"Help her."_

"Rias, my dear. Stop begging in front of the help. It's unbecoming of a person with your station and quite frankly, embarrassing." Riser haughtily scolded.

Suddenly, Ambrose abruptly left Sona's side and rose from the couch, startling the entire room. Sona's alarm quickly turned to curiosity as she watched her fiance walk past the entire group and headed straight for Rias's desk. Sona, Grayfia and both peerages bewilderingly observed as he began scribbling a few words on a piece of scrap paper with a pen before folding the paper in half and marching up to Rias.

"There's nothing you have that I want." Ambrose began before reluctantly adding, "But you do have something that I need."

Rias looked up at him for a moment before focusing on the piece of paper he held; hope filled her eyes as if that scrap of paper held her salvation.

"This is going to be a contract, a contract between you and me Gremory." Ambrose heavily explained, holding the paper in front of Rias yet out of her reach. "I will dissolve your engagement to the Phenex Clan for a price. This is what I need." He said, waving the paper in front of her. Rias reached to grab it, but Ambrose continued to hold into it firmly, not letting go until he fully explained himself. "There will be no negotiating. It's either this or I walk out of here. If you accept this contract, then I'll expect my payment within 24 hours of terminating your engagement to the Phenex Clan. If I fail, then I owe you nothing. If I succeed, then I owe you nothing; no taxes, no hidden fees, no alliances, not even a thank you. If you can not deliver this to me, let me know now because I will be beyond furious if I break up your engagement and you cannot pay. Do Not Turn Me Into A Creditor." The alchemist warned before releasing the paper for Rias to read.

Sona was at a complete loss on what her fiance wanted, _"No, not wanted, needed."_ she corrected herself.

Rias seemed a bit confused herself, but opened the paper and went pale as she read the contents. Her eyes went wide, her mouth was open in astonishment and she looked up to Ambrose only to abruptly close her mouth with an audible 'click' when she saw him checking the time on his pocket watch as if he had more important places to be.

Sona watched in complete astonishment as Rias actually hesitated before agreeing. _"Just what the hell is on that paper?"_

Rias looked down at the note again, as if the words would some how change into something different a second time. "I-I..." She stuttered before closing her eyes tightly and shouting out "I accept!"

The entire room held a moment of silence. Sona noted that even her fiance seemed surprised that Rias had accepted his offer before smiling and turning his attention to Riser Phenex.

"So, the little magician thinks he can defeat me in a Rating Game?" Riser said with an amused chuckle.

"Rating Game?" Ambrose asked, looking a bit confused. "I never said anything about a rating game. I am just a magician, an alchemist. And when all's said and done I am also a merchant; just one with interesting wares to offer." He finished before placing his hand on the coffee table and activating his own summoning circle. From the magical light, two items arose, two very familiar items which caused Sona's eyes to widen and a smile to bloom on her face.

There on the table before them was the frozen remains of Saffron Phenex and the ancient Kettle of Plenty which produced the legendary jusendo water that was a crucial ingredient to produce the Phenex Tear Elixir.

"Instead of fighting in a rating game, let's make a deal instead." Ambrose suggested and gestured to the Phenex egg encased in ice. "I believe this used to be one of yours, your ancestor Saffron if I recall."

Riser was visibly stunned; gone was the arrogant smirk and the mockery hidden in the depths of his eyes. His eyes were now wide and his entire focus was on the remains of his grandfather. "Where… Did… You… Get… That?" He demanded, his voice straining against his own disbelief.

"China." Ambrose evasively replied. "The Bayalanka Mountains, as a matter of fact. I believe that's where he made his last stand."

"Give him to me." Riser demanded as his eyes began to glow from his internal flame.

"Ah ah ah." Ambrose scolded while wagging his finger back and forth. "As I said, I am a merchant and I will happily hand him over once I am properly paid. And before you begin to think that you can simply take him, please be reminded that Ms. Grayfia has been instructed by Maō Lucifer, himself, to ensure that this meeting remains peaceful."

Riser visibly flinched at that reminder before cautiously looking over to Grayfia to confirm what the alchemist said was true.

The maid simply nodded in reply to his unspoken question.

"Relax Riser, this is a great opportunity for you." Ambrose cheerfully said with a smile, drawing Riser's attention back to him. "Today you get to be the hero, the one who finally brings home the lost remains of your ancestor. You will make your Clan whole once more and you'll be free to marry a girl who would not only appreciate you but also support you relationship with your peerage."

"It will take years before we would be able to revive him." Riser argued, glaring at Ambrose.

"But you would, in fact, be able to revive him." Ambrose explained before picking up the ancient kettle and pouring the tea from his cup in it, "And I happen to have something here that should help speed up the process. This here is the Kettle of Plenty; a magical artifact capable of instantly creating the jusendo water you need to not only revive your ancestor but to mass produce the Phenex Tear Elixir. I picked this little miracle up in Eastern Europe. I am willing to sell you all the magical water you'll need to not only revive your ancestor, but to also increase your production of Phenex Tear Elixir."

Ambrose then poured the liquid from the kettle, and everyone watched in astonishment as the tea was now pure and clear water with a noticeable magical aura.

"Please, take this as a sample to ensure that it meets with your own quality standards." Ambrose offered, handing the teacup to Riser.

Sona watched in complete astonishment as Riser Phenex reverently took the teacup, inspecting it for a moment before passing it to his sister who immediately sealed the cup up with magic and stored it away.

"I want that kettle." Riser stated after a moment.

"I'm afraid it's not for sale." Ambrose humbly replied, though the smile he wore throughout the negotiation was now completely absent. "I require it for far too many potions; however, I will be willing to sell you..."

"I Want That Kettle." Riser angrily demanded, "If you want me to give up my engagement then you'll give me Saffron-sama and that kettle."

"The kettle is not for sale." Ambrose unrelentingly repeated, "You can buy the water off of me, but the kettle too valuable to sell for what Rias is offering. You'll still get Saffron back, and you'd get all the jusendo water you'd need for a reasonable price. I'd wager all that is worth the price of an ungrateful fiance who doesn't love you."

"Hmm." Riser grunted in frustration before crossing his arm before asking. "You'd wager, huh? Are you a gambler?"

"I have been known to take a chance, from time to time." Ambrose dismissively replied, "Provided the stakes were right. However, in order for me to bet this kettle on a game of chance you would have to risk something of your own."

"Something like…" Riser trailed off, urging Ambrose to continue.

"The recipe for Phenex Tear Elixir." Ambrose suggested with a smile.

Riser immediately drew back in shock as he snarled, "You Dare!"

"Of course I dare." Ambrose interrupted, his smile still present. "My best selling potions require this kettle, if I'm going to risk my livelihood then the reward must be worth it."

Sona watched as Riser physically withdrew from the negotiation. He sat back in his seat and folded his arms around his chest, as if he realized he had reached an impasse and there was nothing additional he could bargain with.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter." Ambrose regretfully said, effectively reading Riser's body language. "I thought you said that you were someone who could negotiate for your Clan for the duration of this meeting but there's no need to worry. I can still trade you Saffron and sell you as much jusendo water as you want in exchange for agreeing to end your engagement."

" _That's bait."_ Sona thought to herself.

"No, I can negotiate for my family." Riser arrogantly declared, "I'll wager the recipe for Phenex Tear Elixir if you're willing to put up the Kettle of Plenty."

" _And he just swallowed the bait whole."_ Sona astonishingly thought.

"Mmm, what kind of game did you have in mind?" Ambrose curiously asked, though everyone present already knew there was only one game Riser would find acceptable.

"A rating game, of course." Riser confidently replied. "That was the original agreement before you took on this contract with my lovely Rias."

"I suppose you got me there." Ambrose admitted with a frown.

"You have ten days to prepare yourself." Riser boasted and then turned to Rias, "Ten days before I not only take you as my bride but completely restore my clan as well."

"Before we end this meeting there is one additional thing I'd like to add." Ambrose spoke up. "I'd like to ask Ms. Grayfia to continue to be our mediator and to take custody of our individual wagers until the end of our rating game. I will give her Saffron and the Kettle and you, Riser, can give her the recipe for Phenex Tear Elixir."

"I accept your terms." Riser said as he joined his peerage, "And I'm looking forward to our match. Expect no mercy." he said before he and his peerage disappeared a bright flame.

The entire group seemed stunned at what just happened, Rias especially seemed flabbergasted.

" _He almost got Rias out of her engagement by negotiation."_ Sona astonishingly realized, _"And now he has a chance to become the second creator and distributor for the Phenex Tear Elixir!"_

"Well, it appears that we're going to have a rating game after all." Ambrose said in disappointment, "And I had hoped we could have wrapped this up by the end of the day. Ms Grayfia, would you mind taking custody of these two items?"

"Of course." Grayfia replied, before she inquired. "Is this really the remains of Saffron Phenex?"

"Indeed it is." Ambrose commented with a bit of pride in his voice.

"And… I gather you were the one who defeated him?" Grayfia continued to inquire.

"Yeah, it was about five or six years ago." Ambrose recalled. "Both he and the Dragon Prince Herb wanted the kettle for themselves and we got into a three way fight over it. I came out the victor."

"You realize you can't defeat Riser using the same method as you did with Saffron." Sona reminded her fiance, unwilling to actually name the **[Master Key]**. "This is a rating game, a contest between devils. While holy magic isn't expressly forbidden, I don't believe any rules exist stating you can use it."

"It's true then?" Grayfia asked Ambrose, almost in disbelief. "You can use holy magic?"

"Yes, it's true. Though I wasn't planning on using it anyways." Ambrose admitted with a frown.

"That would be in everyone's best interest." Grayfia absently replied. "While this is not an official rating game, nor is there any specific rule forbidding you from using holy magic, we ask that you refrain from doing so until the Maōs rule on whether or not holy magic will be allowed in future rating games."

"But you can still win, right?" Rias desperately asked, "You can defeat him?"

"I'm not saying it'll be an easy fight, but I think I can beat him without holy magic." Ambrose replied to Rias. "The trick will be ensuring that your peerage can take out as many of his servants as possible."

"You may use the mountain retreat as a training ground in order to prepare for your rating game, Milady." Grayfia offered. "I believe it has everything you'll need."

"Thank you, Grayfia." Rias gratefully replied before turning back to Ambrose. "You will, of course, be joining us."

"I'm afraid I can't." Ambrose replied, "I have to prepare for this month's batch of the cure for lycanthropy. I'll be far too busy to help you train."

"Am-chan, you promised you'd break Rias's engagement and they'll stand a better chance at winning if you helped train them ." Sona said, reminding her fiance of his obligation.

"Sona..." Ambrose replied, giving her a look that she couldn't decipher.

"You also have a three month supply of the cure for emergency situations." Sona said firmly, interrupting his protest.

"Yes, for emergencies." Ambrose insisted before relenting under Sona's scolding look. "Fine, but you're helping me pack."

"Don't worry, I will." Sona agreed while thinking to herself, _"And if you behave I'll give you something to remember me by before you leave for nearly two weeks."_

"There's always a catch to contracts." Ambrose muttered before turning to Rias. "I have an additional condition of my own. I want you to prepare my payment in advance and hand it to Ms. Grayfia. Since she's acting as the custodian of all the other wagers, one more shouldn't be a problem."

"You want me to hand it to her?" Rias asked in disbelief.

"Yes, your family will probably need some time in order to prepare." Ambrose explained, "This way you'll have ten additional days before I'll be taking it off your hands."

Rias appeared to be uncomfortable, though Sona didn't understand why. _"Just what did you ask for, Am-chan?"_

"Alright then, now that that's settled when do we leave?" Ambrose asked the group, wanting to move things along.

"Tomorrow morning, at 8 am." Rias replied, before turning to the ex-nun. "Asia, I know it's a lot to ask but do you think you could come with us? While you won't be a part of the rating game, your ability to heal us while we train would be invaluable."

"Of course." The nun unhesitatingly replied, "Issei will need me to support him, and in turn I'll help support all of you."

"Excellent." Rias said with a hopeful smile as she addressed the entire room. "We'll begin our training tomorrow."

* * *

Sona and Ambrose teleported to his home immediately after their meeting with Rias. Though Sona was extremely pleased with how everything turned out, she could tell that something was troubling her fiance.

As soon as they arrived Ambrose turned to her and directly asked, "Why did you insist that I go on this training trip?"

" _He's the one who set the conditions to his contract with Rias, why was he being so stubborn about going on this training trip?"_ She bewilderingly thought, wondering why he was kicking up such a fuss over this. "Like I told you, it will improve your chances to actually win the rating game."

"And what's going to happen to you while I'm gone?" Ambrose asked to Sona's confusion.

"What do you mean? I'll be here in Kuoh." Sona replied, not understanding why he was so upset.

"Yes, you'll be here in Kuoh while Rias, her entire peerage, and I will be who knows where." Ambrose retorted, "You'll be all alone while Kokabiel is still out there. We don't know exactly when he's coming."

Sona paled dramatically. "I forgot about Kokabiel."

"Yes, I figured that out when you insisted that I leave your side." Ambrose tiredly replied. "I couldn't exactly bring it up in front of the others."

Sona's mind whirled at the implications, while she wanted to help her friend become free of her engagement she definitely didn't want to risk being alone in Kuoh. One thing they knew for certain was that Kokabiel was coming to kill either her or Rias in order anger the Maōs and restart the war between the three factions.

" _But if Kokabiel's entire purpose is to kill either Rias or I, then there's no point in him attacking so long as neither of us are in Kuoh."_ Sona suddenly realized as a plan began to form. "I'll go to the Underworld."

"What?" Ambrose questioned.

"I'll take my peerage to the Underworld." Sona repeated, happy to have found a solution. "Rias isn't the only one who's peerage could use some additional training. In fact, I could take your Procreation Enhancers with me and give them to Onee-sama while I'm there. That way neither peerage will be in Kuoh so there won't be anyone for Kokabiel to attack."

"That could work." Ambrose thought while scratching his chin.

"There is one thing I've been wondering, what exactly is Rias paying you for this job?" Sona inquired, genuinely curious as to what made her friend hesitate after seeking Ambrose's help for weeks.

Her fiance turned to her with a smile that was both extremely excited and amused. "Do you remember when you, Onee-san, and I were discussing possible sites for a future sanctuary in the Underworld?"

"You didn't." Sona astonishingly replied in disbelief.

"The entire Seere Valley, including the Great Seere Lake. A lovely piece of property that unites five ley lines and is nestled between Dragon Mountain and Mount Ose." Ambrose dramatically exclaimed with his arms wide.

"Oh My Maō!" Sona shouted in excitement as she rushed to embrace him. "That's a huge piece of property, it has to be at least 7 times the size of Oasis."

"Well, devils seem to like things big, so if I'm going to make a sanctuary for them it has to be big as well." Ambrose joked, "We'll have to go back and forth in time a few times in order to fully test it out, but at the very least I can ward it off completely from intruders in order to protect it for what lies ahead. We've got a lot more work ahead for us."

"I can't believe she agreed to that." Sona incredulously replied, "You realize that with that much land you could legally claim be a Lord, albeit a minor one. In fact, I've never even heard of a devil to entrust so much land to a non-devil before."

"Well, we haven't gotten it yet. I still have to defeat another immortal fire bird while you're off training in the Underworld." Ambrose sadly said with a frown.

"Two immortal fire birds." Sona corrected, "Riser's bishop is his little sister, Ravel; she's a Phenex too."

"Wonderful." Ambrose sarcastically commented. "It seems we both seem to have our individual tasks. I don't like being separated from you."

"Oh? Are you going to miss me?" Sona coquettishly asked with a smile.

"We've been inseparable for over a year now." Ambrose reminded her with a smile of his own. "Of course I'll miss you."

"Then let's head upstairs and I'll give you something to remember me by."

* * *

Grayfia stoically walked through the halls of the castle that belonged to husband and **[King]** , Maō Lucifer, as she reflected on all that had transpired. She knew before leaving for Earth that preparing Rias for her engagement would be a difficult assignment, but nothing could have prepared her for what awaited her. Whatever she expected, seeing her lost son who she once believed was dead had truly left her feeling overwhelmed.

Both her and Sirzechs had been warned; Lady Sona's peerage had told them about the alchemist and how he looked like Sirzechs. But at the time, Grayfia refused to believe it; her heart feared being ripped apart once more when it would be inevitably proven that this alchemist was not Millicas.

But then, she saw him. She didn't care that she was covered in muck, nor did she care how he was still alive. She only cared that he was still alive, as she kept repeating the phrase over and over in her mind since she first laid eyes him.

" _He's alive. My son is alive."_

Every motherly instinct of hers screamed for her to rush to her son, to hold him close and never let him go. However, he quickly disappeared and she was suddenly left in the sorrowful wake of his absence once more.

Afterwards, she insistently questioned Rias for every detail she knew, every thing that had happened since her son arrived in Kuoh. What she learned was shocking to say the least; he distrusted Rias and most likely Sirzechs by proxy. She also knew that not only would her husband and the Gremory Clan require more proof, but her son would need to be convinced of his lineage as well. Until then, she vowed to silently support her son from the shadows until she could fully embrace him once more.

It was an agonizing wait until she could see him again. The hours dragged by, and despite the fact that the imminent meeting between her son and Rias would not be a pleasant one, she desperately wanted to see him again.

When he arrived at Rias's little club, she couldn't help but drink his appearance in; marveling at how he had grown into such a fine young man. A feeling began to creep in her chest, one that she never thought she would feel again; the pride of a mother. Her son was remarkable and seemed quite accomplished despite his youth. Grayfia was especially proud that he had a hand in discovering the coup attempt against his own father, despite not knowing that he and Sirzechs were actually related. She even found herself silently supporting his rightful indignation against Rias's selfish actions. Most alarmingly of all, it appeared he was aware of Sirzechs' attempts to observe him, though he was wrong about the reason behind his father's motive for doing so.

" _It doesn't matter if he doesn't trust us._ _I will reunite my family and won't allow **anything** to tear it apart again."_ Grayfia vowed to herself as she entered her husband's private office.

"Welcome back, my dear." Sirzechs replied with a smile as he sat behind his desk and a mountain of papers. "How did everything go with Rias-chan?"

" _I doubt he's actually done a single bit of work since I left."_ Grayfia frowned in thought as she considered her husband's work habits. "Lady Rias has accepted Riser's challenge to a rating game."

"I see." Sirzechs replied with a frown of his own. "I've done all I can to help her, though I doubt she has much of a chance to defeat Riser."

"Our son has agreed to help Lady Rias." Grayfia replied, breaking the ice for this difficult conversation.

Sirzechs stared silently at his wife for a moment in complete disbelief before he hesitatingly asked. "You're certain it's him?"

"I'm his mother, of course I'm certain." Grayfia firmly insisted. "I bathed him when he was a child, I know every inch of his body. I would find him in a sea of other faces."

"What's he like?" Sirzechs softly whispered with tears in his eyes, still in shock that it could be true.

"Strong, confident. He takes things very seriously." Grayfia proudly replied.

"Just like his mother." Sirzechs said with a smile that she then shared with him.

"He's also very suspicious of Rias and of you as well." Grayfia commented. "He knows you've been spying on him, though he believes it's in retaliation for threatening Rias."

"I don't know if I should be worried or proud right now." Sirzechs responded with a chuckle. "If he's suspicious of Rias, then why did he agree to help her?"

"He's charging her an exorbitant amount for the job." Grayfia replied before handing her husband the slip of paper with her son's handwriting.

"Oh dear the entire valley? Seems our son has a bit of cunning as well. Father won't be happy about losing the summer house." Sirzechs commented with amusement. "Though I think he might feel better when he finds out who exactly is extorting him."

"You plan to tell Lord Gremory?" Grayfia curiously asked.

"Not yet." Sirzechs replied with a smile. "We'll have to get definitive proof before he's registered back in the Clan. In the mean time, let's let father sweat."

Grayfia frowned at that, worried about how her son would react to reuniting with a family he's completely unaware of.

"Do you think he can help Rias?" Sirzechs inquired, incorrectly guessing why she was worried.

"He made a wager with Riser Phenex for the recipe for Phenex Tear Elixir in exchange for the remains of Saffron Phenex and a magical kettle." Grayfia answered her husband.

"Saffron Phenex? How did he…?"

"Apparently our son is the one who defeated him. I've been assigned as the custodian of the wages until the completion of the rating game. Currently I have custody of Saffron's egg which is completely encased in everlasting ice." Grayfia proudly replied. "It seems he's picked up my family's magic as well."

"Well, this rating game appears to have gotten more interesting." Sirzechs replied while wiping a few tears from his eyes.

"Indeed. Now, I have to inform Lord Gremory what his daughter is giving up in exchange for dissolving the engagement he's been looking forward to." Grayfia replied, dreading that burden. _"Though if I tell him within the hour Lord Gremory will have time to vent his anger on Rias."_

"If you'll excuse me" She said, before giving her husband a bow and made her way out the room.

"Grayfia." Sirzechs called out before she made it to the door. "Our son, do you think he'll forgive us once he learns what we did?"

Grayfia turned towards her husband, the only answer she could give him were the tears that began to spill down her cheeks.


	18. Season 1, Chapter 10

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

The train that traveled between the Underworld and Earth was a marvel of devil ingenuity and engineering. It was a designed specifically to quickly and safely transport a large number of devils across the dimensional gap and into the human world. While it is true that a powerful individual could travel through the dimensional gap on their own, the risk of getting lost and dying dissuaded all but the most desperate individuals from doing so.

Thus, in this day and age most devils used the train. Like most international transportation hubs in the human world, travel to and from Earth was tightly regulated and controlled. The train arrived and departed on a schedule; travelers required passports, visas, and one could expect to submit to a mandatory customs search for dangerous artifacts. It was a lengthy and cumbersome process that Sona normally avoided by traveling with Rias, who's family let her use their own private train whenever she wanted. In this instance, Sona and her peerage would be traveling to the Underworld without Rias; there was also the additional complication that she would have to declare Ambrose's fertility enhancers through customs. Rather than deal with the hassle that traveling publicly would entail, Sona knew someone who could arrange for private transportation so that she and her peerage could bypass the usual customs inspection.

"So-tan!" Serafall Leviathan cheered excitedly as Sona's train arrived in the Underworld. "So-tan!"

Despite her childish antics, Sona couldn't help but smile at her Onee-sama's enthusiasm. The last time she saw Serafall Leviathan in person was in the future, where the war that would ravage both worlds weighed heavily on her. Seeing Serafall bright and cheerful once again was like a soothing balm on Sona's heart. _"Though I wish she would have waited until I got off the train before making a spectacle."_

As Sona and her peerage disembarked the train, Serafall rushed to embrace her with one of her patented hugs, to which Sona eagerly returned.

"Something wrong?" Sona curiously asked, noticing that her sister stiffened in shock.

"No, it's just..." Serafall uncertainly trailed off, "You usually don't hug back when we're in public..."

"Let's just say I've missed you, Onee-sama." Sona simply replied and the pair of sisters shared a smile. "I also come bearing gifts."

Sona turned and gestured to her peerage who were presently unloading a large number of boxes on the platform.

"All of these are procreation enhancers?" Serafall questioned in surprise.

"Not all of them. There are 33 vials of the procreation enhancers; however, the majority of the boxes are a gift for you from my fiance." Sona replied with a smile, hoping Ambrose's overture would help win her sister over.

Curiously, Serafall opened one of the boxes and let out a loud girlish shriek when she saw what was inside.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Look at this, look at all of this Magical Milky Girl Spiral Merchandise!" Serafall excitedly squealed as she began rushing through all the boxes. "There's Manga! And it's a first edition printing as well! And look, there's a complete anime collection with the collector's edition artwork! Oh, there's even the newest season! And complete collection of the limited edition Drama CD's! Oh Maō, look at all these figurines that are still in their boxes! There's even the 8th custom outfit variation. That's my favorite, they only made 100 of them! Oh, and there's posters and there's…"

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to enjoy all of this in private." Sona interrupted, wanting to curb her sister's embarrassing display.

"Where did he get all this?" Serafall asked in childish wonder.

"Earlier this week Am-chan did a favor for Rias by helping her newest servant complete a contract." Sona explained. "Apparently the client was a fan of Magical Milky Girl Spiral so as payment Am-chan chose this, knowing you would enjoy it."

"He got all this specifically for me?" Serafall bewilderingly asked.

"Yes, Onee-sama."

"I thought he and Rias didn't get along." Serafall questioned, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"He has been making an effort to move past what Rias tried to do to him." Sona embellished, hoping that she could alleviate her sister's concerns about Ambrose.

"That's very mature of him." Serafall sagely nodded as she continued to inspect her gifts. "OH MY MAŌ!" She squealed loudly in girlish delight at the discovery of another Magical Milky treasure. "Sona Do You Know What This Is?"

"A magical milky girl wand?" Sona rhetorically asked.

"It's not just any Magical Milky Girl Wand!" Serafall excitedly yelled, "This is the wand they used for the Magical Milky Girl Live Action Show, but they only made a pilot and the show never took off. This is the actual wand that Magical Milky Girl used. I can't believe it's mine! IT'S FINALLY MINE!" She yelled in triumph, clutching the wand between her breasts while gleefully laughing.

Whenever a Maō is present in public in the Underworld, he or she will naturally gather attention; however, devils will usually run for cover when a Maō's laughter sounds both pleased and maniacal. Sona's eyes widened as she watched the surrounding denizens grow uncomfortable by the sound of Serafall's laughter, until they outright began to flee the area.

"Onee-sama," Sona called out, "Please calm down."

"Eh?" Serafall questioned cutely, tilting her head to the side before she realized she was making a scene. Embarrassed at her display, she giggled. "Sorry, So-tan."

Sona couldn't help but smile at her sister, while normally she would scold Serafall for her undignified behavior, seeing her so carefree lightened Sona's heart.

"I see you didn't bring the alchemist with you." Serafall commented as she looked around the train station. "I'd like to know what he wants in return for the potions and gifts."

"The Magical Milky Girl items are a gift, and just that. Am-chan also said these potions are a free sample, and that he'd be willing to negotiate with you in regards to larger scale purchase for the potions at a later date." Sona replied before hesitantly continuing, "There is one thing I'd like to talk to you about in private though. Is it possible to go somewhere where we won't be overheard?"

Serafall looked at Sona and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "I know just the place."

* * *

The train station to the Underworld was located in city of Lilith, the current capital of the Devil Nation which was named after the wife of the original Lucifer. It was a sprawling metropolis that surrounded the capital building that served as the center of government and Maō Sirzechs Lucifer's private castle; though technically all of the Maōs had their own private chambers within the castle.

Despite the prejudices of the humans on Earth, the Underworld held a higher level of technology, a rich culture, and many modern conveniences. Though the city of Lilith was not always the capital of the Devil Nation, today it was boasted as the pinnacle and epitome of all Devil accomplishments since the end of the Civil War. There were a large number of free museums, monuments celebrating past victories, as well as a large stadium where only the most popular and high profile rating games took place. Lilith was also a central trading area where goods were imported and exported to and from Earth; one could almost certainly purchase anything if they had the funds.

All in all, it was a hub of activity, so Sona gave her peerage instructions to purchase the necessary supplies they would need for their training trip and then allowed them a few hours unsupervised to enjoy all that the city of Lilith had to offer. While her peerage was busy with their tasks and then free to enjoy themselves, Sona and Serafall would head to a private location so that they might talk with out being overheard.

Unfortunately, Sona underestimated her Onee-sama's definition of a private location.

"So-tan's skin is so smooth." Serafall cooed, hugging her naked breasts to Sona's back while rubbing their cheeks together.

" _Though I suppose a secret meeting in a private bath house isn't too much of a surprise."_ Sona thought to herself, _"Rias and I often have secret conversations in my private sauna; however, Rias isn't so 'touchy feely' when we meet."_

Never the less, Sona endured her sister's ministrations, reasoning that Serafall had been much more frisky when she last saw her in future town of Oasis.

That didn't mean she was going to allow Serafall to distract her from her purpose behind requesting this meeting.

"While I enjoy a hot onsen as much as you do, Onee-sama, this isn't the reason I requested a private talk." Sona reminded her sister before she became too enthusiastic.

"That doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves, So-tan." Serafall teased with a giggle, letting her hands trail down in order to personally measure Sona's breast size.

"Onee-sama, please!" Sona implored while fighting a blush from adorning her cheeks. "This is important."

"Oh, alright." Serafall relented before relaxing back in of the hot water of the large private bath. "Tell your Onee-sama what's bothering you."

"It's about Kokabiel." Sona admitted as her heart rate began to calm down. "I know it's against protocol, but I'd like to get an update on the Kokabiel situation and his desire to steal the Excalibur fragments."

Serafall frowned for a moment, giving her sister a weighty look before answering. "There really isn't anything to say about that."

"What do you mean?" Sona continued to press, "I know you're bound to secrecy about some matters, but can't you provide a little insight?"

"It isn't because of that." Serafall dismissively replied while shaking her head. "It's just that all diplomatic talks in regards to Kokabiel and the Excalibur fragments have ceased. Azazel has declared Kokabiel a rogue and has insisted that the Grigori will handle him personally. I'm pretty sure Azazel wants to capture him alive in order to personally question him."

"And Heaven?" Sona inquired.

"The high and mighty bitch has been her usual haughty self." Serafall distastefully replied with a frown, forgoing her usual childish tone.

" _No need to ask who she's referring to."_ Sona bemusingly thought. _"Onee-sama's rivalry with Gabriel is legendary."_

"You should have heard her, 'Oh, you silly devil, there's no way anyone could know where we hid the Excalibur Fragments, let alone steal them. Go back to Hell and mind your own business.'" Serafall said, mocking her heavenly rival. "You should have seen that stupid angel's face when I recited exactly where three of the five fragments were located." The Maō then floated back in the water, closed her eyes in recollection, and let out a satisfying sigh. "It was priceless."

"Onee-sama, as the Maō in charge of foreign affairs, you should make a greater effort in order to get along with foreign nations." Sona reminded her sister. _"I should have realized that the three factions were going resist getting along. The Khoas Brigade hasn't become a credible threat to all three of them yet."_

"I try, So-tan. I really do, but no one believes me what I tell them that the flying cow hates my guts." Serafall complained. "She's always looked down on devils."

"Am-chan and I have been investigating Kokabiel on our on." Sona admitted, effectively taking her sister's mind off of her hated rival. "Since he's a magician, he hears things that others might not freely tell us. It appears as if the incident at the church in Kuoh was an attempt to test our defenses and response times, and that Kokabiel intends to collect as many Excalibur fragments as he can in order to fuse them into a single sword. Once he's done that, Am-chan and I believe he will gather his own followers and attack either Rias or I in Kuoh in order to restart the war."

Serafall immediately sat up and looked her sister dead in the eyes. "Do you have proof?"

"Unfortunately no." Sona regretfully admitted, shaking her head. "It's why I didn't mention it in my report."

"Kokabiel was always an arrogant jerk, and he was never happy with Azazel declaring peace." Serafall mused out loud. "Do you think this is a credible threat, Sona?"

"The main reason I came to the Underworld is because Rias is off training for her match against Riser, and I coerced Am-chan into agreeing to help her." Sona replied. "I didn't want to remain in Kuoh alone with out backup."

"Sirzechs-chan told me this morning that Ambrose had agreed to help Rias." Serafall admitted, giving Sona a look she didn't recognize.

"Oh? I hope Maō Lucifer is willing to look past Am-chan's and Rias's history." Sona said, probing for more information.

Serafall suddenly gave Sona an incredulous look, "I think you should be more worried about Mama. She said she wants to see you."

"Wha-What?" Sona suddenly stuttered at the mention of their mother. "You spoke to Mother? You told her I was coming to the Underworld?"

"I didn't tell her you were coming. Mama contacted me, saying that she already knew you were on your way here." Serafall admitted, giving Sona a penetrating look. "She probably used one of her old contacts to find out about your arrival."

"Did she say what she wanted?" Sona dreadfully asked.

"Of course not." Serafall replied, rolling her eyes that such a ridiculous thing would happen. "She simply said it was 'Sitri Business' and asked if I would pass the message along. I told her I would, since I had already made plans to see you; but only after I reminded her that Maōs are not messengers."

Sona frowned in thought, realizing that things could potentially be bad if her Mother would reach out and contact Serafall. Unlike Sirzechs and his Gremory relatives, it was an open secret that Serafall did not get along with her former Clan.

" _Well, specifically it's Onee-sama and Mother who don't get along with each other."_ Sona privately mused.

While there were no hostilities between Serafall and Lady Empusa Sitri, their relationship could be best described as 'bitter', as they both have routinely antagonized one another for centuries.

The entire feud began after the Second Great Celestial War between the Devils, Grigori, and Angels. This war raged for a hundred years and decimated the population of the Devil Nation; not only resulting in the death of the original Lucifer, but also completely eradicating 39 of the 72 Pillars of Devil Society as well as ending the lives of billions of low and middle class devils. Among these casualties was nearly the entire Sitri Clan; the only survivors being Lord Shitori, Lady Empusa, and their daughter the heir apparent Serafall who was barely out of her teens. It was a time of chaos and so when Serafall decided to join her friends Sirzechs Gremory, Ajuka Astaroth, and Falbium Glasya-Labolas to create the Anti-Satan Faction Empusa forbade her daughter from joining the Civil War. However Serafall would not be deterred and ran away in the middle of the night to fight in the Devil Civil War alongside her friends. Fearing the reprisal from the Old Satan faction, Empusa persuaded her weak willed husband, Shitori, to do something drastic; something that neither the Gremory, Astaroth, or Glasya-Labolas Clans were willing to do. The Sitri Clan declared Serafall a stray devil and publicly claimed neutrality for the duration of the entire civil war.

Strategically speaking, it was a sound move. The Old Satan faction held the support of the majority of the surviving 33 pillars, they had the larger army, and a greater amount of resources. By declaring both neutrality and Serafall a stray, the Sitri Clan made themselves exempt from fighting in the war; stating that they would not fight against their stray daughter while simultaneously they made their hospitals available to both sides of the conflict. It was a calculated move to ensure they didn't make an enemy out of either side.

In the end, no one expected the Anti-Satan Faction to actually win the war; however, the invention of the **[Evil Pieces]** was credited as the reason they were victorious, since it not only allowed new blood and new talent to join the devils race but also helped to increase their numbers.

After the Civil War ended and the Anti-Satan faction emerged triumphant, neither Serafall nor her parents made any effort to reconcile. Both Clan Sitri and Serafall remained estranged, refusing to speak to one another until Serafall unexpectedly defeated Grayfia Lucifuge in combat for the right to become Maō Leviathan. Exactly one day after her own personal victory, the newly crowned Maō Serafall Leviathan arrived at the Sitri Estate and acted as if her parents had never declared her a stray. It should be noted that this was not an attempt to make peace with her parents, nor was this an act of forgiveness on her part. Serafall arrived in order to let them know the dynamics of their relationship had been irrevocably changed by forgoing all formalities as she childishly began calling them 'Mama' and 'Papa'; an act which irks Lady Empusa's strong sense of decorum to this very day.

" _Let it never be said that Onee-sama doesn't have her own sense of vengeance."_

It was Maō Leviathan's way to show her parents that not only was she above conventionality, but that she could come and go from the Sitri territory and enter their homes whenever she wanted, despite not being a Sitri anymore.

While Lady Sitri would smile politely when others would praise her for raising a daughter who became a Maō, it was no secret that Empusa wished her daughter would grow up and act as a proper Maō should. Nevertheless, Empusa's own sense of propriety prevented her from scolding her daughter's new immature behavior since it was Serafall who held the higher status. It could even be said that one of the major reasons that Serafall began her childish persona was to personally annoy her mother.

" _Though the magical girl routine is a recent addition to her childish antics, and magical Japanese girls didn't exist back then."_

Centuries later, Sona was born and Serafall was ecstatic to not only have a sister but also a relative that she had no bitter history with. However, in an effort to keep Serafall's 'juvenille and rebellious' influence out of the life of the new Sitri heir, Empusa prevented Serafall from meeting Sona for years after she was born by hiding her in the Sitri Clan's many properties. Despite Empusa's resistance to introducing the sisters, she couldn't publicly defy a Maō and both mother and daughter travel in the same social circles of high society. Eventually Sona and Serafall were introduced at a birthday party for Rias and the sisters quickly formed a strong affectionate bond with one another by finding common ground in the strict and disciplined environment that their mother raised them both in. Often times when she was a child, Sona would go to Serafall in order to vent her frustrations of her mother's harsh criticism and stern nature.

When Sona had learned of her family's end in the future, she had been shocked and privately mourned their deaths, including her mother's. That did not mean Sona and Empusa had a good relationship. Sona often found her mother to be overbearing, high-handed, and domineering. Nothing was ever good enough for Empusa, and everything that Sona did was picked apart and criticized. Her father was of little to no help, as the imperious attitude of his wife overpowered his own reserved nature.

"I am not looking forward to seeing Mother." Sona freely admitted before dunking her face in the water in a mock attempt to drown herself.

"Want me to send you and your peerage on a task?" Serafall helpfully offered with a smile, "After all, you can't deny a request from a Maō."

"That would only upset mother more." Sona admitted, though secretly wishing she could take her sister up on the offer. "You know how she gets when she's made to wait."

"Then you had better head over there soon." Serafall regretfully suggested. "If she already knew that you were coming, then she'll know what time the train arrived."

Sona closed her eyes and groaned, _"This is going to be bad, I can feel it."_

* * *

Like all of the families of the original 72 pillars of Devil Society, the Sitri Clan could trace its lineage back to the original rebellion against Heaven. Unlike the Fallen Angels, who were cast out of Heaven a millennium later due to their sinful desires, the Angels who would later go on to become devils were cast out of Heaven for waging war against the Biblical God for the sake of their own independence. As powerful as he was at the time, Lucifer could not wage a war against his Father all on his own and so he had to build an army by convincing others to fight along side him. Once such individual that the original Lucifer personally recruited was Sona's great-grandfather and the progenitor of the Sitri Clan, Bitru Sitri.

Before the great schism that tore Heaven apart and created the devil race as it exists today, Bitru was a cupid who took great pleasure in his assigned task. In fact, he enjoyed making romantic matches so much that he would indiscriminately couple people together, which inevitably began to cause problems for Heaven. He would make men fall in love with men, women fall in love with women, and was even responsible for destroying the ancient city of Troy by pairing Helen of Sparta with Paris of Troy, despite the fact that Helen was already married. In Bitru's mind "love was love", and social norms shouldn't matter in the goal of spreading love throughout the world. This, of course, earned him Heaven's admonishment and the other angels treated Bitru as if he were a naughty child.

However, Lucifer the Morning Star saw potential in Bitru and personally invited him into his private inner circle. Lucifer also encouraged Bitru to not only make as many matches in love as possible but to secretly go out and experience the love he so freely gave to others. Realizing that he had never actually experienced love for himself, the cupid discovered, to his delight, he that he had a knack for wooing anyone. With his graceful body and strikingly handsome looks, Bitru "fell in love with falling in love" and began to gain a reputation as a philanderer of both men and women, from humans to supernaturals. His reputation grew to such proportions that he, himself, could inflame the heart of anyone he met to such a degree that they would immediately strip naked for him with barely a look. Later in life, he would often boast that he, personally, was the reason that the Biblical God altered the System in order to make it an immediate sin for an angel to experience any form of sexual contact thereafter.

Bitru's rise to power within the ranks of the original Lucifer's inner circle began when he started currying favors by pairing up individuals per request. His list of clientele was not limited to just humans; yōkai, dragons, **[Sacred Gear]** wielders, deities from other religions, and even fellow angels would come to him secretly so that they could be paired with the object of their affection, sometimes only for a single encounter. As his reputation in seducing and matchmaking grew, he began to gather his own group followers and soon commanded a legion of 60 individuals who were also skilled in the art of seduction. These individuals would later go on to become his own personal legion of devils under his direct command.

The fortune and destiny of what would later become the Sitri Clan was forever defined during the planning of Lucifer's initial attack against Heaven. Through Bitru's followers of seducers and seductresses, he had created an intelligence network of epic proportions. Individuals often made boasts to impressed their paramours and most became quite talkative after the throes of passion. Bitru began to collect these secrets and record these illicit encounters. It was rumored that there was no secret he couldn't uncover, no one he couldn't blackmail. From Amaterasu in China to Zeus in Olympus, Bitru threaten or cajoled others for favors, information, and eventually traded secrets in order to acquire the weapons and intelligence Lucifer would need to wage his war against Heaven. He was also able to plant his legion of followers inside of the first five layers of Heaven to not only gather information crucial for the initial attack, but also to sabotage Heaven's defenses that would ignite Lucifer's initial campaign.

While the First Great Celestial War against Heaven was brutal, Bitru's spies remained planted within Heaven's forces and would relay information back to Lucifer's army, allowing them several key victories. In the end the Devil race was created, and both Angels and Devils declared themselves the victor of the war. God had succeeded in stopping the insurrection, while Lucifer and his followers achieved their independence and claimed the Underworld as their own.

The Devil Nation was then formed with Grand Emperor Lucifer as the sovereign ruler of the Underworld and his three generals Maō Asmodeus, Maō Beelzebub, and Maō Leviathan would serve as his advisers. For his services in the war for independence, Bitru was granted a fiefdom along with the hereditary rank of Prince; making the Sitri Clan the 12th highest ranked Clan out of the original 72 Pillars. Presently, with only 33 pillars remaining, the Sitri Clan currently ranks as the 8th most powerful Clan in the Devil Nation.

Prince Bitru, Lord of the Sitri Clan, would later go on to develop and expand his intelligence network, becoming Grand Emperor Lucifer's Chief Intelligence Officer. Recognizing that knowledge mattered just as much, if not more, than brute strength, Bitru vowed to ensure that mental acuity would be his family's defining trait.

Unlike the other 72 Pillars who developed their lands for trade, agriculture, or industry; Bitru preferred that his lands remain unspoiled. It wasn't because he held any particular fondness for nature, nor did he need the resources the land provided for income; the Sitri Clan's livelihood had always been largely dependent on the exchange of information and secrets during Bitru's reign. Instead, Prince Bitru preferred to use his vast territories to keep his family safe from any potential enemies by hiding them in his many estates which lay hidden across his domain.

And so for millennia the Sitri lands remained untouched and unkempt. It wasn't until Sona's father Shitori became the current Lord Sitri that measures were taken to actually care for the land by clearing natural debris in an effort to prevent forest fires. That effort was later expanded on by creating parks and other natural recreation areas that allowed limited licensed hunting and angling in an effort to maintain a steady wildlife population. Today, the Sitri Clan's fiefdom is known as the Sitri Nature and Wildlife Reserve; it's roughly 1.5 million square kilometers of lush forests, great plains, as well as numerous lakes and a large freshwater sea. The result of Prince Shitori Sitri's love of nature and conservation efforts was the unveiling of the most beautiful lands in all of the Underworld for the nature loving denizens of the Devil Nation to enjoy.

"Awesome!" Saji exclaimed as he pressed his face to the sky car's window as they raced across the landscape. "All this is yours, Kaichō?"

"Technically it belongs to my parents, Lord and Lady Sitri." Sona corrected, wishing she could curb her **[Pawn]** 's enthusiasm. _"Though I suppose it's understandable, given it's his first trip to the Underworld."_

"Still, I can't believe you're a real princess, Kaichō." Saji commented in wonder.

"I'm not a princess." Sona replied, trying to hide her irritation. "Prince and Princess are a title, one reserved for the heads of the Sitri Clan. I am the heiress apparent, meaning I won't be a princess or own the lands you see until my parents step down, or they unexpectedly perish."

"So, do I address them as Prince or Princess?" Saji wondered aloud, "Or perhaps, 'You're Majesty'?"

"Although I doubt you'll personally see them, if you do please address them as Lord and Lady Sitri and treat them with the reverence as if you were a loyal retainer and they were your Shōgun **.** " Sona replied before turning to give Tsubaki a silent request to take over educating her **[Pawn]** on behaving in gentility.

To be fair, Sona privately admitted that it wasn't Saji she was irritated with, though his unintentional reminder of her parents death in the future didn't exactly help. She was more focused on mentally preparing herself for the unexpected meeting with her mother: Princess Empusa, Lady of Clan Sitri.

Empusa was born as the 2nd daughter of the 71st Pillar Dantalion Clan, ranked second from the bottom. Despite holding the hereditary title of Baron, the Dantalions were impoverished due to failed businesses, money lent from creditors, short sighted investments, and a small depleted copper mine. The Dantalion Clan once specialized in the ability to completely transform their physical body into another humanoid or animal, a trait that neither Sona nor Serafall inherited from their mother. Although the ability to shape shift sounds impressive, the Dantalion Clan's talent to transform had waned over the generations. Today, the surviving Dantalions could only partially transform and they used their diminished skills to enhance their own beauty and physical appearance.

They would change their facial features, hair color and hair style daily. Sometimes they'd take the form of anthropomorphic beasts for their own amusement; Sona had a cousin who would delight in teasing her by increasing her breasts size to ridiculous proportions.

However growing up, Empusa was determined to rise above her family's station and devoted herself to mastering her Clan's ability to shape shift into any living creature. In this effort, she was successful; even the progenitor of the Dantalion Clan, Baron Svetovid, boasted that she surpassed his own ability to shape shift. Empusa also dedicated herself to mastering martial arts and enhancing her own physical strength. Her efforts in hand to hand combat eventually culminated when she earned the nickname 'Empusa the Copper Leg' in her youth after defeating a fiend with a single kick. This brought the attention and admiration of many devils, including Sona's great-grandfather Lord Bitru Sitri.

While intelligent in his own way, Bitru's grandson Shitori preferred to study science and medicine rather than espionage and politics. Although handsome, Shitori had always been humble and lacked the enticing charm his grandfather used to seduce others. At first, Prince Bitru was disappointed with his grandson's weak will and mild mannered personality; stating that Shitori could not be an heir to the Sitri Clan unless he completed a challenge. Bitru declared that in order for his place in the Sitri Clan to be recognized, Shitori would have to steal the panties of Empusa Dantalion, the most fearsome she-devil of his generation.

Shitori knew that his grandfather admired Empusa for her skills and ambition and would likely seek to make her one of his mistresses at some point in the future. Shitori also knew that he stood no chance in a fight against Empusa if he were caught trying to steal her panties. Brute force would see him beaten within an inch of his life, and subtlety was doomed to fail because Empusa could actually turn herself into any creature. Faced with these hurdles, Shitori decided to do the most unexpected thing; he would ask her for her panties directly.

Shitori then went to the rundown Dantalion estate and requested a meeting with Empusa. There, he explained his current situation and offered her a deal. In exchange for her panties, Shitori promised that he would marry her, and only her. He also pointed out that his grandfather, Prince Bitru, had taken an interest in her and would likely attempt to make her a concubine of his at some point in the future.

Empusa was well aware of Prince Bitru's philandering ways, he had a harem that surpassed a Gremory's. She also knew that Baron Dantalion would jump at the chance to hand her over to Prince Bitru when he eventually came to claim her, if only to pay off the family's debts and to ingratiate himself with the high ranking Sitri Clan. The last thing she wanted was to be "just another notch" for the renowned womanizer and concluded that it would be better to be the only wife of the 2nd heir in line for Clan Head rather than just another kept woman.

And so, both Shitori and Empusa returned to Prince Bitru together, where Shitori then presented his grandfather with the panties he requested. Empusa then declared that by taking her panties Shitori had stolen her honor and all but demanded that they be allowed to wed. Although annoyed at the loss of a potential mistress (especially one that could take the shape of any woman), Prince Bitru allowed the pair to marry and bestowed upon Clan Dantalion a dowry which paid off all their debts and rebuilt the Dantalion Estate. In addition, Bitru also began grooming Empusa in the art of espionage, recognizing that her ability to change her form would make her a formidable spy. Empusa took to her lessons in espionage with great enthusiasm, though she would often have to use her 'Copper Kick' to keep Bitru's lust for her in check.

This was the main reason why Sona was dreading this unexpected meeting, Empusa was once the lead spy and assassin for her family's clan. While technically retired, she maintained a list of contacts in order to stay appraised on developing special interests within the Underworld; though to Sona it always appeared as if they were a bunch of gossiping mothers. Never the less, her mother always was up to date on the latest news in the Underworld and the fact that Empusa requested a meeting when Sona had only arrived in the Underworld completely unannounced was alarming.

After the sky car landed, Sona and her peerage disembarked to a picturesque scene. A sprawling castle surrounded by an enchanting forest on an island in the middle of a large blue lake. Though most of Sona's peerage had been to the Underworld, none of her peerage had visited this particular castle before.

" _Come to think of it, I think I've only been here a handful of times."_ Sona realized as she began to discretely and carefully observe her surroundings. She looked up in the trees for birds or tree dwelling animals, she also began scanning the area for all manner of creatures. Sona's mother, Empusa, liked to keep her shape shifting skills sharp and delighted in suddenly appearing before (or most likely behind) anyone in order to startle them. _"She could be anywhere, anyone."_

"Is this where you grew up, Kaichō?" Ruruko asked in astonishment.

"No, not really." Sona said, refusing to elaborate further. Mentioning that her family had many such mansions and castles across their lands sounded a bit pompous in her mind. "We'll only be here until I've finished my meeting with the Lady Sitri. Afterwards, we'll be heading out into the wilderness in order to train."

"Can't we stay here and train, Kaichō?" Saji asked as they walked towards the main entrance. "This place is sweet."

" _We wouldn't be here at all if I could have avoided it."_ Sona privately thought, though instead she said out loud. "I doubt we'd get any serious training done in this environment, and I don't expect my meeting with Lady Sitri to take longer than an hour. Once we're finished here we'll head out into the wilds where we can train with out restraining ourselves."

As they approached the main entrance, a lone white haired devil greeted Sona and her peerage with a respectful bow. "Milady, it is good to see you again."

"It's good to see you as well, Otis." Sona replied, briefly smiling at the butler who had served her family since Bitru's reign.

"If Milady would follow me." Otis obsequiously said and lead them into the castle.

As Sona and her peerage followed Otis down the halls, she began to feel more and more worried as she looked around. _"This is going to be bad."_

Usually when Sona arrived at any Sitri property there was a gathering of servants to formally greet her and her peerage; a welcoming demonstration signalling that the servants were ready to serve the heir apparent. As Sona looked around, she could not see any other maids or butlers in sight as the group's footsteps echoed down the halls.

"Man, this place sure is huge, but so empty." Saji commented out loud, unintentionally reflecting on Sona's thoughts; though he had no idea of the implications.

"This castle, and all homes of the Sitri Clan, have regretfully remained empty since the last Celestial War." Otis replied, recalling a more thriving era. "When the late Lord Sitri, Prince Bitru, was head of the Clan there were always three generations living under the same roof."

"There is strength in numbers, and devils feel safest amongst their family and peerage." Sona explained in an effort to keep the foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach away. She certainly didn't feel safe with her family now and soon she would be separated from her peerage in order to privately chat with her mother. "Since the last Celestial War, devils have struggled to replenish our numbers and so houses like these remain mostly empty. Some of the Pillars are unable to maintain their estates due to their low numbers."

Otis stopped in front of a door and held it open. "If Lady Sona's peerage would enter, they will find tea and refreshments prepared for them."

Sona worry suddenly increased. While she expected that her mother would wish to speak to her in private, the location in which Sona would part from her peerage was a signal on just how bad this meeting would be. There was nothing wrong with the sitting room that Otis has made available for her peerage, it was probably one of the more opulent sitting rooms since it was made to impress guests. But that was the problem, this room was intended to impress guests; its location was the first sitting room closest to the main entrance of the castle. The main sitting rooms, the ones intended for family and their peerages, resided deeper within the castle. It was a subtle display stating that her peerage would be politely welcomed but not embraced as family.

Sona watched her peerage enter the sitting room, where two maids would attend to their needs. Otis then closed the door and gave Sona a pitying look before he escorted her further into the castle.

" _Oh shit."_ Sona thought as her apprehension only increased.

The pair remained silent as they traversed through the empty halls. Normally her mother would at least have one or two servants handy to fulfill her needs; that they didn't encounter a single servant thus far meant that her mother had sent them away for this private chat.

" _Or worse, they left on their own accord in order to escape Mother's wrath."_ Sona depressingly realized.

Otis escorted Sona to the door of a private office, before opening it to announce Sona's arrival to her mother. Sona trepidatiously entered the office to see her mother standing behind a desk, staring out the window with her back turned. Today, Empusa's hair was long, wavy, and green; Sona also noted that she had added a few extra inches to her height.

" _She probably want_ _s_ _to_ _give off a more intimidating appearance."_ Sona privately thought as she waited for her mother to speak.

Nothing else could be gleaned from her mother's appearance because she kept her back turned and continued to stare out of the window. For awhile the silence persisted, and Empusa made no move to even acknowledge Sona's presence in the room. Sona knew that this was a test, a test of wills to see who would speak first. Normally, her mother could create such an intimidating environment that Sona would eventually succumb and break the silence.

Suddenly, Empusa spoke. It was the first time Sona had actually won this contest of patience.

"It was very prudent of you to not bring your magician here with you." Empusa softly said, keeping her back turned to Sona as she looked out across the lake. "Care to explain your recent actions?"

"In regards to what?" Sona asked for clarification.

"Don't! Don't suddenly pretend you're ignorant of what you've done!" Empusa abruptly thundered, turning around to give Sona a furious look. "I had to spend three hours assuring Venelana Gremory that the Sitri Clan wasn't trying to wrestle land from their territory. That surely my daughter wasn't foolish enough to insert herself and the Sitri Clan into matters that clearly should have remain between the Clans Gremory and Phenex. Now tell me, what were you thinking?"

"It's complicated." Sona said, not sure where exactly to begin. "But I have both Rias's and Riser's permission to..."

"To do NOTHING!" Empusa interrupted with a shout. "Rias and Riser don't decide Clan matters. You Do Not Decide Clan Matters, The Clans Heads Do! Do you have any idea how furious Zeoticus Gremory is? I never thought that man would ever get mad at anything, let alone his spoiled daughter. I certainly thought you would be smart enough to see the repercussions of involving ourselves in another Clan's union. What's worse, is that it's a union between Gremory and Phenex! You know we require the Phenex Tear Elixir for your father's hospitals and we need to retain a good relationship with the Gremory Clan in order for the lower class citizens to feel confident that your sister and Maō Lucifer are getting along. Now tell me, What Were You Thinking?"

"Both Maō Lucifer and Rias want this engagement to end, and Riser made the suggestion that I donate a servant to aid her. He promised that our Clan would suffer no ill repercussions for doing so."

"And you think that matters?!" Empusa asked as if she couldn't believe what her daughter was saying. "Maō Lucifer has absolutely no say in who Rias marries, and if Rias wants to end her engagement then that's her damn problem to solve on her own. As far as Riser is concerned, he has no real power within his Clan; he's just the third son. Lord Phenex has no obligation to honor his son's word and there are dozens of ways the Phenex Clan can retaliate against us from behind the scenes. They could increase the price of their elixir, or suddenly come up with a shortage. Hell, if they were smart they'd begin mass producing their elixir and start opening up their own hospitals in order to completely ruin us."

"When Rias wins, the Sitri Clan will become the second producer and distributor of the Phenex Tear Elixir though my pact." Sona pointed out, trying to put these events in a positive light.

"You had better hope Rias doesn't win, because that will be the last thing that this Clan needs." Empusa gratingly replied. "The peace between the 33 Pillars is a lot more fragile than you realize, little girl. The Maōs recent actions of rounding up members of the Old Satan Faction aligned with this Khaos Brigade has left a few of the 33 Pillars heirless. Diehauser Belial, Diodora Astaroth, and Eneely Vassago; all three apparent heirs, all three have now been arrested for treason. While their Clans publicly support the Maōs actions, they're still at risk of going extinct because they've lost their only heirs. A lot of the Pillars are extremely worried about the future and our way of life. But you want to upset the state of things even further by robbing the Gremory Clan of their land while simultaneously taking away Phenex Clan's exclusive rights to make their healing elixir? The last thing the Sitri Clan and the devil nation needs is Gremory and Phenex joining forces in a blood feud against us because of the actions of you and that magician of yours."

Empusa then wound down in an effort control her anger before glaring at her daughter. "When this faux rating game is finished and Rias loses, I expect you to personally and sincerely apologize to both Lord Phenex and Lord Gremory for involving yourself in their private business. Afterwards you are to completely break your pact with this magician of yours and vow to never see him again, assuming Riser doesn't kill him for his impudence."

"He won't die. Am-chan will win." Sona replied with absolute certainty.

"Am-chan? AM-CHAN?!" Empusa bellowed, her eyes wide with indignation. "Don't even get me started on publicly claiming some human magician as your fiance."

"You're the one who set the conditions for my engagement!" Sona shouted back, her own voice defiantly rising against her mother. "You said I had to marry the next person who defeated me in chess! Don't be mad because you're not satisfied with the result!"

"If you wanted him so badly then you should have turned him into a devil and at least taught him his proper place in society." Empusa said, glaring at her daughter. "But now that he's involved in this catastrophe with Gremory and Phenex I will never allow him to be a part of this Clan."

"Then I Won't Be A Part Of This Clan Either!" Sona furiously shouted back.

Empusa stared at Sona, her eyes widened in astonishment before they narrowed and she vehemently hissed. "Don't you dare."

"Looks like you're two for two, as far as heiresses walking out the Sitri Clan." Sona couldn't help but shout back as she marched towards the door. "But what do you expect from a short sighted Dantalion?" She taunted before slamming the door shut behind her.


	19. Season 1, Chapter 11

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Rias Gremory took a deep breath of the clean crisp air as she and her peerage hiked up the mountain trail. For the first time in a long time, things were finally going her way; it was rejuvenating.

" _Of course, I still have to actually win the rating game."_ Rias thought, reminding herself that hope could be a bitter illusion.

Her prospects for getting out of her engagement with Riser had always been bleak; going up against a being with the ability to regenerate was a daunting task. There was no doubt in her mind that Riser Phenex would be a formidable opponent. In fact, his official record states that he'd only lost two Rating Games, though both of those losses were to families that were aligned with his.

" _No doubt he lost those matches on purpose in exchange for political favors for his family."_ Rias privately reasoned.

But now things were different, now Rias finally had that 'Ace' she had been so desperately looking for; as it turned out that very 'Ace' might be her long lost nephew Millicas.

After experiencing a second trip to the sewage plant the other night, Grayfia had practically interrogated her about Ambrose. Truthfully, there wasn't much to add since Rias had already gave most of the details to her brother. Nevertheless, Grayfia wanted her to reiterate everything all over again, in greater detail, and constantly interrupted Rias's briefing with more additional questions.

" _You really think he's Millicas?"_ Rias had asked her sister-in-law at the time.

" _He is Millicas."_ Grayfia had adamantly insisted.

And that was that; Grayfia was certain that the alchemist was her son and nothing would dissuade her of that notion. Rias, herself, was not so sure and had even told her sister-in-law about the holy magic he wielded; however, Grayfia seemed unconcerned and almost dismissive of that important detail.

Despite the her own personal reservations, Rias wanted Ambrose to be her lost nephew; not only for her family's sake but for her own personal reasons as well. The Gremory Clan stood to lose a lot if Rias should end her engagement and win her freedom. They never had that much land in comparison to most of the other 72 Pillars. Presently the general extent of their territory was about the same size as Honshu, the main Japanese Island, and a significant portion of that land had been claimed by her family after the destruction of the 39 extinct Pillars. One such territory was the Seere Valley, the land that Ambrose wanted as payment for his services. It was the former territory of the now extinct Seere Clan and was roughly a total of 1/23rd of the entire Gremory province. Never before in this history of the Devil Nation had any devil given land to an outsider, to someone who was not a devil. It was especially disconcerting that Ambrose could, in effect, be declared a Lord once the land was his; though he could only do so with the Maōs' permission.

Her father, Lord Zeoticus Gremory had been absolutely livid when he had found out the deal she had made. Not only was she risking the alliance between the Gremory and Phenex Clans, but to promise land to an unknown magician was absolutely unheard of. In fact, Rias failed to recall another time where her father had yelled at her so fiercely. She would have loved to tell her father who Ambrose could be, but Grayfia and Maō Lucifer had sworn her to secrecy. It was for this reason that Rias desperately hoped that Ambrose was, in fact, Millicas. Should the alchemist turn out to be her long lost nephew then the land he would win for himself could seen as an inheritance, and therefore the consequences of Rias's actions could be swept under the rug.

" _Though father would still lose his alliance."_ Rias dismissively thought with a mental shrug. _"But quite honestly I couldn't care less. He should have known better than to engage me against my will, especially to a womanizing pervert like Riser."_

Ultimately, whether or not Ambrose turned out to be Millicas was inconsequential, Rias would be finally free of her engagement and that was what mattered most to her.

" _Perhaps when all this has settled I can use the Seere Valley and its proximity to my family's land to press Ambrose to become my **[Bishop]**." _Rias privately mused. _"That way the land can remain within my Clan, even if he's not Millicas."_

But that was a plan for another time; right now she had to focus on ending her engagement. To that end she only had to ensure the alchemist's continued cooperation, and as it turned out Ambrose had one additional request of his own.

"Doing alright, little man?" Ambrose asked as he looked down at his traveling companion.

"Yep." Gaspar happily replied as he smiled up at his new friend.

Ambrose had requested that Gaspar come along for their training trip. Despite the fact that Gaspar was the strongest member of her peerage, he was prohibited from actually participating in this Rating Game since he couldn't control his powers. Yet Rias could see the benefit of bringing her shy **[Bishop]** along for the trip as it would allow him to bond with his other team members. Ambrose had his own reasons for wanting Gaspar to come along. In addition to testing out a new pomegranate flavor of his plasma juice, Ambrose had wanted to test a vampiric sunscreen that he was working on. Although Gaspar was a half vampire, he did experience a bit of discomfort while under the sun, making him the ideal candidate to test his product on.

While the vampiric sunscreen appeared to work as it was designed to, it left Gaspar with a sparkling, glitter like shine upon his skin. Gaspar didn't seem to mind, in fact he thought it made him prettier and danced around in delight. Ambrose, however, was dissatisfied with the result and vowed to go back to the drawing board in order to perfect his potion.

As Rias and Akeno reach the mountain retreat, the **[King]** turned around to check on the rest of her peerage and companions. Asia, Ambrose, and the glittering Gaspar were right behind them; the alchemist didn't seem to be affected at all by the hike while carrying his and Gaspar's things.

Further down, Rias noticed that Issei was struggling to keep up; his brow was sweaty and his breath was heavy.

"Shouldn't we have helped Issei?" Asia worriedly asked.

"He'll be fine." Rias reassured the nun with a smile. "The whole point of this is to train his body. He has to be able to handle this much."

"On your right." Yuuto called out as he easily passed Issei up the steep incline.

"Damn you pretty boy." Issei cursed as the **[K** **night** **]** continued effortlessly up the hill. "Showing off like you're so much better."

"Quite complaining. Git Gud." Koneko tonelessly replied as she passed Issei while carrying a the largest backpack of them all.

Frustrated and dismayed by his lack of progress, Issei collapsed to the ground. "I give up."

"Come on, Issei." Rias said, trying to sound encouraging. "We're almost there."

Truthfully, Rias didn't know what to do with her newest **[Pawn]**. As the holder of one of the 13 Longinuses, Issei held incredible potential; unfortunately that potential seemed beyond her reach right now. Currently, Issei's **[Sacred Gear]** only manifested itself as a simple **[Twice Critical]** , and Rias had only Sona's and Ambrose's word that he was this generations Red Dragon Emperor. She had been dedicating her mornings to training him, but progress was slow and she needed results now. Rias had tried to boost his confidence by sending him on easy contracts, but he had yet to fulfill a single one on his own. Privately, she worried that his lack of success and accomplishments would begin to affect his performance, but he couldn't gain any confidence in himself unless she continued to give him tasks. The more tasks she gave him, the more he seemed to fail, and she couldn't have him handing out fliers forever.

" _Issei, I'll use this training camp to make you stronger."_ She thought as her **[Pawn]** finally reached the mountain retreat. _"Much, much stronger."_

The entire group then entered the grounds of the Gremory's mountain retreat and was greeted by an idyllic sight; a two story mansion with a lovely pond and a large domed gazebo off to the side.

"Is this a training ground or a luxury hotel?" Ambrose asked in shock and disappointment. "How are you suppose to get stronger here?"

"It's lovely." Asia commented in wonder.

"Come on, everyone." Rias said with an encouraging smile. "Let's unpack so we can start training right away."

"Training?" Issei exclaimed in surprise before complaining. "Buchou, can't we rest for awhile? There's no reason to be a heartless monster."

"I'm not a monster, Issei." Rias smirked back at her **[Pawn]**. "I'm a devil."

* * *

As Issei and his four roommates were unpacking, he couldn't help but lament that this trip wasn't turning out to be the holiday he had hoped for. Taking a vacation with the beautiful girls that made up his **[King]** 's peerage seemed like a dream come true, but it turned out there were a lot more men who came along than he originally thought.

Gaspar was too young to really compete with the affection for the other girls; and while Kiba seemed like he would be his greatest rival, he also seemed as if he wasn't really interested in any sexual encounters. Though that didn't stop the girls of Kuoh Academy to swoon at his feet.

" _Geeze, is he gay or something?"_ Issei couldn't help but wonder. _"What kind of man doesn't appreciate such beautiful girls?"_

As for the fourth male of their group, Issei didn't know what to think about Ambrose. The guy was obviously a powerful sorcerer; how else would he have been able to resurrect both him and Asia? It was because of this that Issei felt a deal of gratitude for his actions, although Ambrose had never asked for anything in return. While his skill and charm should have made him Issei's biggest rival in regards to wooing the Gremory Peerage, Ambrose was attached to the flat chested student council president and always acted as if he would rather be anywhere else whenever he was with Rias and the others.

"Hey, Ambrose-senpai. What's with you and the Gremory Peerage?" Issei couldn't help but ask. "I don't exactly understand the history between you two. Is it some sort of family thing?"

"We're not related." Ambrose firmly stated in annoyance. "As far as my problems with Gremory… Well, not everyone wants to become a devil and your **[King]** plotted to make me her servant against my will." The alchemist then finished, giving Kiba a doubtful look.

Kiba, recognizing the look, took a moment to gather his thoughts before he replied. "As far as what's happened between you and Buchou, I prefer that it remains between the two of you. However, I would ask that you no longer insinuate she deceived the rest of us; Buchou saved us when we needed needed it most." Kiba then stood tall and turned to face Ambrose. "As far as you and I go, rest assured I hold no ill will against you. Personally, I am not overly fond of Fallen Angels and exorcists; I appreciate what you did in the church."

"Kiba's not as grateful as I am." Issei eagerly assured, "I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for you."

"Thanks." Ambrose embarrassingly replied. "Now let's go do our best so we can win this game."

* * *

Gaspar found an isolated spot on a grassy knoll so he could quietly sit and watch his fellow peerage members train. Normally, he would rather be anywhere other than outside and surrounded by people. It wasn't because he hated being around other people; rather, it was because he was terrified others due to his past experiences.

Growing up in the ancient House of Vladi meant that he was subjected to the unfathomable arrogance and pride that the vampires were infamous for. Due to his half blood status, the noble vampires were always abusive and cruel to him; even his own father looked down on him in shame and disgust. All this was compounded by his **[Sacred Gear]** which made everyone fear him due to his ability to stop time. In his mind he was a worthless freak, a pariah, and a disgrace to his family who only wound up cursing those who dared to get close to him.

Despite the kindness that Rias had shown him since she had turned him into a devil, Gaspar feared rejection, or worse causing death of one of his peerage members. Because of this, Gaspar chose to remain isolated in the hope that others wouldn't come to hate him due to his vampiric nature and uncontrollable power.

And then he met Ambrose, the alchemist who didn't seem to fear anything. He took on the Fallen Angels and Exorcists by himself, he always stood up for what he believed was right. He didn't care that Gaspar was half-vampire nor did he look at him in revulsion and fear. In fact, being a vampire was exactly what he needed as he explained that Gaspar might never have to drink blood again for the rest of his life. While normally Gaspar would be afraid that his own power would frighten anyone he met, Ambrose was strong enough not to be affected by the **[Forbidden Balor View].** What was even stranger was that Ambrose thought his ability to stop time was the greatest thing, immediately thinking of ways to use it to make Gaspar's life easier.

For the first time in his life, Gaspar felt like he was helpful and useful just by being who he naturally was. Never before had Gaspar met someone like the alchemist. He was strong, kind, and genuinely wanted to help him.

" _He even took the blame for my actions so I didn't get in trouble with Koneko-chan. And now he's given me this sunscreen which not only protects me from the sun's harmful rays, but also makes my skin sparkle."_ Gaspar thought in delight, as he waved his shining hands from side to side.

To Gaspar, the alchemist was someone to be admired and a mentor to look up to. And so, when Ambrose and Kiba were about to face off against each other in a sparing match, Gaspar found a nice spot to sit and watch his idol in order to see what he could do.

Kiba stood at the ready, holding his bokken firmly with both hands as he faced his opponent. Ambrose took his bokken with one hand, giving it an experimental swing before mimicking Kiba's stance. For a moment, neither one of them moved.

Suddenly, Kiba swiftly charged the alchemist and swung, only to completely miss. Ambrose then retaliated with a swing of his own, to which Kiba quickly blocked. On and on they went, back and forth with Ambrose dodging and Kiba blocking, until finally Ambrose hit Kiba on his head from an awkward angle.

"Not bad." Kiba smiled while rubbing his head. "But that was with the flat of the blade, you won't do any real damage like that."

"Yeah, I need more practice against an opponent who can wield a sword." Ambrose commented, frowning at the bokken.

"Why don't we let Issei give it a shot?" Rias suggested, turning to her **[Pawn]** to encourage him. "Go on Issei, grab a bokken."

Ambrose than handed Issei his practice sword and then made his way over to Gaspar.

"How's it going, little man?" Ambrose asked as he sat down on the grass.

"Good." Gaspar happily replied.

"Sorry about all the sparkles." Ambrose embarrassingly mentioned. "I wasn't expecting that as a side effect. The sunscreen lasts for 12 hours, so it should wear off sometime this evening."

"Do you have anymore?" Gaspar hopefully asked. "I really like it."

"Tell you what, I'll give you the remaining sunscreen I have, but don't expect anymore after that. It's not suppose to glitter like that. A vampire can't really blend in during the day if they sparkle so much that they make people blind." The alchemist smiled before handing Gaspar a juice box, "Try this and tell me what you think of it."

Gaspar cheerfully took the juice box, and began to drink the new pomegranate flavor as the pair settled down to watch Kiba and Issei fight.

"Let's see if I can do this." Issei resolutely said before charging at Kiba with an overhead swing.

Kiba was quick on his feet, keeping himself at a safe distance from Issei as he continued to block his berserker attacks. "It isn't about swinging your sword. You have to watch your opponent and your surroundings." The swordsman lectured.

"Hey, Gaspar." Ambrose whispered as they both watched the match. "Want to play a little game?"

"What kind of game?" Gaspar wondered, taking his eyes off the duel.

"It's called 'Why Is Everyone So Slow?'." Ambrose replied with a grin before he Gaspar suddenly realized something odd had just happened.

Time Stopped.

For a moment Gaspar was frozen too, though in his case it was because of his complete astonishment. He looked to Issei and Kiba, who were completely frozen in time. Issei had swung and missed, while Kiba was in the middle of a countering strike. From this fixed moment in time, Gaspar could tell that Kiba was one strike away from defeating Issei. He then looked over at Rias, Akeno, Asia, and Koneko who were standing off to the side, also completely still; there was even a bird frozen in mid flight overhead.

"Did you do this?" Gaspar asked in wonder, completely shocked that someone else could stop time like he could.

"Time is a marvelous plaything, why should you have all the fun?" Ambrose asked with a smile as he picked a dandelion puff. He then dramatically blew the seeds away, and Gaspar watched as they floated away for a bit before freezing in time as well.

"Pretty." Gaspar said aloud. Never had he thought of using is own abilities for something like this.

"I bet you could learn to paint a lovely picture with this ability of yours." Ambrose commented before the entire world around them suddenly began to move once again.

Kiba then expertly finished his blow, striking Issei's bokken where it met his hands and knocking it to the ground.

"Wow, just as expected of a **[Knight]**." Issei complimented with an embarrassed smile.

"Don't let your guard down." Kiba replied as he did an exaggerated overhead swing to Issei's head, while the **[Pawn]** tried counter with a failed barehanded blade block.

"Oww." Issei said, rubbing lump on his head.

"Issei, let me help." Asia called out as she rushed to help the injured devil.

"I'm going to go watch Asia." Ambrose said, standing up and brushing his off pants. "But let's keep this little game between the two of us, okay?"

"Sure thing." Gaspar happily agreed, glad that his hero trusted him to keep his secret.

* * *

As Akeno lead Issei and Asia inside the mansion to give them both instructions on how to harness their own magic, Rias asked her **[Rook]** Koneko to spar with Ambrose. To be honest, she was quite surprised at the alchemist's martial capabilities and wanted to see the full extent of his talent.

" _Most magical users are ranged fighters, they keep their opponents at a distance."_ Rias strategically assessed as she watched the pair face off against one another. _"Yet, Ambrose seems comfortable with hand to hand combat. I wonder what Kiba thinks of his aptitude?"_

Koneko suddenly rushed Ambrose, who completely dodged her attack before countering with a punch of his own. Koneko used her **[Rook]** abilities to completely absorb the punch before launching a kick that had the alchemist bending backwards at an awkward angle in order to avoid it.

"Hey, Yuuto. What do you think of Ambrose's fighting capabilities?" Rias asked her **[Knight]** as they watched the sparing match.

Yuuto frowned for a bit, gathering his thoughts before answering. "Well, his body is pretty well conditioned to fight; a lot more than I would have expected since he's a magician. He's also very aware of his environment and his opponents moves but..."

"But?" Rias asked, urging Yuuto to continue.

"Look at how he fights." Yuuto commented as he observed the match. "He doesn't block at all; he just dodges, and some of his dodges put him in a difficult position."

As if to prove his point, Koneko executed a kick which had Ambrose almost scrambling to get away from that left him vulnerable. Koneko had obvious planned for this, as she quickly followed through with an additional kick that found its mark and knocked Ambrose back several feet. The alchemist seemed to be unfazed by the blow, and he quickly got to his feet to continued their match.

"He certainly has endurance." Rias observed aloud. "Not many people can take a direct hit from a **[Rook]** and still continue."

"I'm more worried about his fighting style, or rather his lack of fighting style." Kiba thoughtfully commented. "He scored a hit on me, but it was with the flat of the blade. It was as if any hit with the sword counted to him, no mater the angle of the sword. And while he's tough enough to take a hit from Koneko, he's not used to blocking any attacks at all. He just dodges them as a reflex, even if it were more prudent for him to block an attack. It's like he's used to fighting but not against another person."

"Used to fighting, but not against another person?" Rias asked in confusion. "If that's so, what kind of an opponent is he used to fighting?"

"If I had to guess… dragons." Yuuto commented with a smile, as if the concept was both obvious yet ridiculous. "As crazy at it sounds, it make sense. He'd have to be both fast and durable, but fighting a mindless beast is different from a thoughtful opponent. There are moves, counters, and feints; he doesn't account for any of that. He simply dodges and waits for an opening."

Ambrose then suddenly countered a kick from Koneko by grabbing her ankle and tossing her into the forest, knocking her into a tree trunk which then fell on top of her. The white haired **[Rook]** was more agitated than damaged by the attack, and her face appeared resolved as she emerged from the forest ready to continue.

"Let's try something a little different." Ambrose commented with a grin as a cold chill abruptly began to fill the air. The alchemist's breath began to fog and a frost started to gather on the grass around him until suddenly five large chunks of ice formed from the ground. The ice blocks then sprouted arms and legs as they took the shape of humanoids before they took fighting stances.

Rather than be surprised, Koneko actually smiled at the challenge and rushed head on to meet her new opponents. Although they collectively began to attack her, they didn't seem to pose much of a threat since she was able to break one with a single strike. What did seemed to give her pause was when one landed a lucky strike and froze part of her body in a block of ice. She quickly broke through her partially frozen state, before dispatching the last ice golem and resuming her attack on Ambrose.

"Those animated ice fighters are interesting, but they fight with the same lack of style that he does." Yuuto observed aloud.

"They weren't very effective on Koneko." Rias replied with a frown.

"That wasn't for Koneko's sake, it was for his." Yuuto pointed out. "It seems Ambrose is a fast learner, he's learning how to fight as he's fighting her. The ice golems attack with the same skill that he does, the holes in the golem's defenses matches the holes in his own defenses. Now that he's seen how Koneko exploited them, he's closed those vulnerabilities in his own form. He just learned how to improve his defenses with out taking a hit from her."

"Can I trust you and Koneko to work with him so that he can improve?" Rias asked her **[Knight]**. "Despite his endurance, I don't want him to be taken out in the rating game due to a thousand cuts."

"Of course." Yuuto replied with a smile. "I'm actually curious to see how fast he'll improve."

"I'll leave you and Koneko to practice and maybe come up with a plan to help Ambrose improve. In the meantime, I'll take him inside and see if he can help Issei develop some magical talent of his own." Rias commented before calling out to the pair in order to end their match. "That'll be all for now, you two."

They both halted their sparing match before turning to Rias, though Ambrose looked a bit annoyed at being interrupted.

"Ambrose, I'm going to have to ask you not to use magic when fighting against Yuuto or Kiba." Rias replied, hoping that he wouldn't be difficult. "You appear to have some skills in martial arts, but I'd like for you to hold off on using magic so you can become even better in hand to hand combat."

"I suppose I could use a bit more practice against a person." Ambrose replied with a frown. "I can always hone my magic in private."

"Would you mind giving Issei some pointers in magic?" Rias hopefully asked, "Out of all of us, he'll need the most help."

"I'll see what I can do." The alchemist simply replied before heading back into the mansion.

Rias watched him go, frowning at the brisk attitude he continued to give her. _"If he really is Millicas then I hope he can learn to get along with the family. It would break Onii-sama's heart if Ambrose rejected him."_

* * *

Issei grimaced as he looked down a the pink and frilly apron he was wearing. "Why the hell am I wearing this?"

"We're cooking, why wouldn't you wear an apron?" Ambrose rhetorically asked, as if it were obvious.

"But it's pink." Issei couldn't help but observe aloud.

"I think it's cute." Asia unhelpfully added.

"If you don't like the color, change it with magic." Ambrose told Issei with a teasing grin. "Until then, learn to deal with it."

"And how am I suppose to change the color with magic?" Issei frustratingly asked.

"Akeno said that she taught you to gather your magic, now I'm going to teach you how to apply it. Simply put, magic is exerting your own will to change reality around you. The more you want something to happen, the more likely it will happen. In addition to your magical power, it's all up to your mental acuity, your imagination, and your determination." Ambrose replied, tapping his forehead before continuing with a bright smile. "Today, we'll be cooking with magic."

"Cooking with magic? How will that help us train?" Issei couldn't help but wonder aloud.

"You're joking, right?" Ambrose commented, giving Issei a look of complete disbelief. "Some of the most darkest curses and spells ever created was developed through the art of magical gastronomy. Consider what it takes to actually prepare food or perhaps what's involved in the slaughter a pig and then cooking it using only magic."

Asia literally turned green as her imagination went wild, Issei couldn't help but privately agree with her.

"Some of the most darkest sorcerers in history were chefs during their off hours." Ambrose ominously commented. "Let's start with something simple, peeling and chopping an onion."

Ambrose held a large yellow onion in his hand, when suddenly the skin of the onion was blown apart by an unseen force. He then set the onion down on the counter where it immediately collapsed into small square pieces.

"How am I suppose to do that?" Issei wondered aloud, holding his own onion in his hand while focusing intently on it.

"You have to visualize it. Imagine you're removing the outer layers." Ambrose patiently replied before he turned towards Asia. "While you won't be fighting in this rating game, I think it's best if you learned a bit of self defense for yourself. Why don't you show me what you can do, Asia."

As Ambrose focused on Asia's training, Issei continued to look at his onion.

" _Shit, how am I suppose to change anything when my magical talent is so small?"_ Issei wondered, recalling the pitiful ball of magic he was able to summon. _"I tried to pay attention to Akeno-san's lessons, but all I could do was imagine how her naked breasts would look."_

As an image of a topless Akeno filled his mind, the onion suddenly burst from his palm, completely peeled.

"Issei, you did it!" Asia proudly exclaimed as she magically boiled a pot of water.

"Wow, congrats Issei." Ambrose complemented with a smile.

Curious if he could accomplish it again, Issei grabbed a potato and visualized Akeno's breasts again only for the skin of the tuber to be magically peeled away. "Wow, potatoes are easy too!"

"Right, now chop it up." Ambrose prompted.

"Eh?" Issei looked at the alchemist in confusion.

"Chop up the potatoes and onions. You're only half way done."

" _How am I suppose to visualize that?"_ Issei suddenly realized as he looked at the vegetables in horror, " _I can't cut up Akeno's breasts!"_

Sadly, it was at that point where Issei came to an impasse and Ambrose had to take over cooking in order to ensure that the entire group was able to eat on time.

* * *

"Oh my, this looks delicious." Rias commented as she looked at the banquet prepared for them. "Did the three of you do all this."

"Issei and I made the potatoes and onions using magic." Asia commented with pride, "Though Ambrose made everything else. It was really quite amazing how he made multiple dishes at the same time. Everything was floating in the air as it was prepared and seasoned. We have a lot to learn if we're going to match his skill."

"Well, I've been doing it for awhile, but I'm sure you'll both get there eventually with practice. Besides, I wanted dinner to be ready since we're all so hungry after training so hard." Ambrose commented, waving off Asia's praise.

"Ara, I look forward to trying Ambrose's cuisine." Akeno commented with a smile.

The group sat down at their respective seats, with Rias at the head of the table and Akeno to her right. They all clapped their hands together and with an "Itadakimasu" everyone began to fill their plates and eat.

All except Asia who continued to bow her head in reverence and prayed before she let out a quiet "Amen."

"PFFTTT!"

Suddenly, almost every devil at the table abruptly spit out their food, coughing and clutching their throats in agony. Issei immediately went to grab a drink before violently spitting out the water as soon as it touched his lips. "Oh, it burns! What gives?"

Ambrose was too busy laughing to actually answer, it took him a moment to calm down as he watched all of the devils desperately try to spit out whatever food they had eaten.

"Asia blessed the food." Ambrose said before dissolving into another fit of laughter.

"Oh no, I forgot!" Asia replied, horrified that she might have hurt her friends.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Koneko commented before rushing off to the bathroom.

"Me too." Gaspar replied before running off on his own with Yuuto following on his heels.

"Akeno doesn't seem to be affected." Ambrose observed between his laughs, as the **[Queen]** ran out of the room to get a fresh glass of water for Rias.

Meanwhile, Asia ran up to Issei and immediately began to heal him with her **[Sacred Gear]**.

"Asia." Rias hoarsely said as she continued to clutch her throat. "Please don't do that again."

"I'm so sorry!" Asia remorsefully apologized.

"This is too funny." Ambrose said as he continued to eat while trying not to laugh.

In an effort to undo the damage she caused, Asia began to diligently heal every member of Rias's peerage. Ambrose simply sat back and watched Asia work as he finished his meal before going outside to train on his own.

Rias and her peerage was left to not only dispose of the blessed food, but to completely cook and entire meal from scratch. Feeling repentant for causing the mishap in the first place, Asia was kind enough to help them prepare their new meal. Unfortunately, the group wouldn't be able to sit down and eat until two hours later.

" _Issei was quite eager to show off his skills by preparing the vegetables."_ Rias noted as they ate, glad that he was starting to develop some talents of his own. _"Although he was unable to cut them properly. Still, I hope this is a sign that Issei is finally coming into his own as a devil."_

"The pervert's got a lewd look on his face." Koneko suddenly spoke up while glaring at Issei.

Issei suddenly began to panic, waving his hands in denial. "N-No, not at all!" He said before awkwardly laughing.

Wanting to defuse a potential argument, or perhaps a violent situation at the dinner table, Rias then changed the subject.

"Issei, how was your first day of training?" She asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

"Well, I'm obviously the weakest." Issei replied as his mood suddenly dampened.

"Yes, but once you unlock the true form of your **[Boosted Gear]** you'll improve much more quickly." Rias pointed out, hoping to lift her **[Pawn]** 's spirits. "The **[Boosted Gear]** has the ability to multiply your strength, where as now it only slightly increases the damage of your strikes. You'll be at an even greater advantage in this fight because our opponents don't know you have this ability. So be sure to work hard, okay Issei?"

"Of course Buchou!" Issei proudly replied.

"Or at least, try not to hold the rest of us back." Koneko said with a glare.

"R-right." Issei acknowledged.

" _His mood is so mercurial."_ Rias couldn't help but notice, _"It's like he only responds to positive reinforcement. Well, that and his perversions."_

"Okay then, since we've finished dinner let's go take a bath." Rias suggested, baiting Issei with his lust to help lift his spirits.

Naturally, the **[Pawn]** couldn't resist the temptation.

"A bath!"

"Oh, Issei. Did you want to join us for our bath?" Rias teasingly offered. "I don't have a problem with it, if the other girls don't. What do you think Akeno?"

"I always wanted to wash another man's back." Akeno teased, licking her finger seductively.

"Asia, do you have a problem with Issei joining us in the bath."

Asia suddenly blushed and looked uncomfortable. "I suppose… since it's Issei.."

"Well, that just leaves Koneko." Rias smiled, already knowing the answer her little **[Rook]** would give.

"Denied." Koneko simply replied, glaring at Issei who dramatically fell to the ground in disappointment.

"Never mind then." Rias smiled, "Too bad Issei."

"If you peek, I'll murder you." Koneko warned as she and the girls left the dinning room to prepare for their baths.

As the group of girls entered the hallway they came across Ambrose who was just returning from his own private magical training. He appeared to be exhausted and perspiring, ready to take a bath of his own.

"Ara, would you like to take a bath with us?" Akeno asked, still giggling from teasing Issei.

" _Akeno, really?"_ Rias thought in surprise, but was honestly curious on how the alchemist would react.

"What? No." Ambrose replied, as if such a notion was ridiculous. "Need I remind you that I'm engaged?"

"That's alright." Akeno commented, unphased by his refusal. "I've always wanted to be the other woman."

Rias almost stuttered at Akeno's glib response, though Ambrose glared at her before he briskly left the girls on their own.

"Ara, that look gets me so wet." Akeno commented aloud to Ambrose's back.

Although Rias had no doubt that Ambrose heard her **[Queen]** 's parting comment, he gave no sign of acknowledging it as he kept his back to them and continued to the men's bath.

* * *

The the girls had gathered in the lady's luxurious hot springs that was so large that someone could easily go for a swim in it. Presently, Akeno and Rias were currently soaking in an effort to alleviate their fatigue from the day's training.

"Honestly, Akeno." Rias muttered in disbelief as she relaxed into the hot spring. "It was difficult enough to get Ambrose to agree to help us. Do you really have to tease him like that?"

"Who's teasing?" Akeno mischievously giggled. "I want to see how angry he gets when he and I face off against one another."

"Be careful what you wish for." Rias warned her friend. "He'll be using magic then."

"I'm looking forward to it." Akeno replied, licking her lips at the thought.

"He's so serious all the time, I can't help but worry about Sona." Rias couldn't help but comment at Ambrose's constant surly attitude.

"Ambrose-senpai loves Kaichō very much." Asia interrupted as she continued washed herself off to the side with Koneko.

"Oh? Do you know something we don't?" Rias asked, eager for gossip on her childhood friend.

"Well, I didn't see anything, but..." Asia hesitatingly replied while blushing, "When Ambrose-senpai gave me his old apartment I walked in on them almost kissing. It was a very... Intimate."

"Ara, we'll have to question Sona when we get back to see how far their relationship has gone." Akeno commented with delight.

"What about you, Koneko-chan? What do you think about Ambrose?" Rias called out over to Koneko who was also still scrubbing down. She couldn't help but be curious about the opinion of her most silent servant.

"He's fine, so long as he continues to bring good snacks when he meets with Gya-kun and I." Koneko simply replied. "But his fighting is strange."

"How so?" Rias asked as she turned and pressed her breast against the edge of the bath eager to hear more.

"He made the mistake of underestimating my strength and durability, but most people do. Still, he gradually began to use more of his strength as we fought. I don't think he was at full strength before you stopped the fight." Koneko replied as she continued to clean her arms. "His fighting style was odd, it's like he knows all the moves but lacks fluency. When he would dodge he would over exaggerate his movements. He'd be more efficient if he moved as little as possible, or learned to block more often."

"Yuuto pretty much said the same thing." Rias commented, not surprised that they both wound up agreeing with one another. "What about Issei?"

"He's a pervert, nuff said." Koneko disdainfully replied.

"While he did show a little magical talent, it wasn't that impressive." Akeno said with a frown, recalling her lessons with the **[Pawn]**. "I'm actually surprised he managed to even peel those vegetables. He's got a lot of work ahead of him."

" _Issei, I hope your taking this training seriously. Otherwise, you'll be in for a rough time during this Rating Game."_ Rias worriedly thought, unaware that Issei was currently pressing his face against the shared wall of the baths, hoping to somehow transport himself through.

"Am-kun, what's Issei doing?" Gaspar worriedly asked as he watched the **[Pawn]** continued his laborious breaths as he pressed himself to the marble wall.

"Just ignore him." Ambrose replied.

* * *

In an effort to ensure the cohesion of the entire group, Rias began to make a conscious effort to keep Akeno and Ambrose apart as much as she could.

" _Akeno seems to be quite eager to test herself against Ambrose, or perhaps it's just her masochistic side shining through."_ Rias privately thought. _"But Ambrose doesn't seem to appreciate her playful nature. Though sometimes I can't tell if Akeno is actually teasing him or if she's serious about perusing him. Either way, the result can't be good."_

Nevertheless, Rias thought it was best to keep them separated or at least be present as a mediator so the pair was never alone together, lest the situation between them boils over. The last thing she needed was Akeno to antagonize Ambrose while he remained her sole hope of ending her engagement. And so, Rias kept Ambrose busy by pairing him up with either Koneko and Yuuto; the results were surprising. Every day her servants would tell her how much the alchemist was improving. By the third day Yuuto would tell her how he had nearly reached his own skill level, glad to have someone he could spar with without holding back. Even Koneko complimented him, stating that his defenses were improving and when he managed to land a hit on her it would actually hurt. While he would occasionally get injured during his matches, he never seemed to require Asia's assistance to heal his wounds, it was as if they would simply disappear after a short time had passed.

Ambrose never complained about this arrangement of alternating back and forth between her **[Knight]** and **[Rook]** , though she admitted he was often difficult to read. Strangely enough, the happiest Rias ever saw him was when he spent time with Gaspar, as the pair suddenly started the most unusual hobby.

"Wow, these are really good." Asia said in awe as she looked at all the drawings on the pair of sketch books. "The two of you did all this?"

"Yeah, it's actually kind of fun." Gaspar replied, both embarrassed and pleased by the praise.

"The little man is becoming a pretty good artist." Ambrose said, patting the dhampire on the head.

"You two certainly have been busy." Rias commented, flipping through one of the sketch books to find that every page was filled with still life drawings.

Judging by the amount of pictures that the pair had managed to finish, plus Ambrose's inexplicable immunity to the **[Forbidden Balor View]** , Rias could guess where they found the extra time to completely fill both books. Truthfully, she couldn't really object to what they were doing and was secretly glad that Ambrose had found such an inventive way for her **[Bishop]** to do some training of his own.

"I like this one, out of all of them." Koneko said, holding up a picture where she had both feet planted in Issei's face in a handstand kick.

"Aww..." Gaspar whined, trying to hide his face from the others.

"Geeze, no matter how powerful you are, you're still too shy." Issei observed to the dhampire's embarrassment.

"Says the useless devil." Koneko muttered, her words striking Issei through the heart.

"It's okay to be shy. I'm not very good around people either, so I understand how he feels. I'm okay on the phone, but I still get nervous when talking with people face to face." Asia said, sympathizing with the **[Bishop]** before she suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, I have an idea that just might help."

Curiously, the entire group watched as Asia ran off to the kitchen for a moment before coming back with a pair of scissors and a brown paper bag. She then cut a pair of eye sockets on the bag before placing it on the little dhampire's head. "How's that Gaspar-kun?"

"Eh?" Gaspar exclaimed in shock, his voice muffled by the bag. "I feel safe. I think I like this. Am-kun, what do you think of it?" The dhampire asked, unintentionally giving off a creepy vibe.

"He looks like a molester." Issei couldn't help but comment aloud.

"Non, non, non." Ambrose suddenly exclaimed before snatching the bag off Gaspar's head. "We're not giving him such a creepy look."

"Hey, I liked that." Gaspar complained while jumping up to grab the bag.

"I'm not saying Asia's idea wasn't a good one." The alchemist explained, keeping the bag out of his grasp. "I'm just suggesting that we improve on it."

Ambrose, with the bag in hand, suddenly flicked his wrist which immediately transfigured it into a white opera mask before handing it back to Gaspar. "Here you go."

"Oh!" Gaspar cooed as he fitted the mask on his head. "This is nice too!"

"He looks so cute!" Asia happily exclaimed.

"Ara, very handsome indeed." Rias said, complementing her **[Bishop]**.

"How about we complete the ensemble?" Ambrose suggested before snapping his fingers, then pointing at Gaspar.

The effect was immediate, Gaspar's normal dress was suddenly transfigured into an Opera Tuxedo, giving Gaspar a look that was reminiscent of 'The Phantom of the Opera'.

"Oh, what a dashing look for our little vampire." Akeno said, running her fingers through his hair.

"He looks so adorable!" Asia couldn't help but state.

"Let me see, let me see!" Gaspar said as he ran up to a full body mirror to inspect his appearance.

Rias couldn't help but admire not only Ambrose's skill in transfiguration but the outfit he created for Gaspar. It was a simple yet elegant white shirt and tie combination along with black pants and jacket; the cape that adorned his back tied it all nicely together.

"They're boys clothes..." Gaspar couldn't help but voice aloud.

"Is that a problem?" Ambrose curiously asked.

"No… I just don't normally wear boys clothes." Gaspar commented as he turned around to view the outfit from alternative angles.

"That cape makes you look like a super hero." Issei said as he watched the cape flutter back and forth.

"A super hero?" Gaspar questioned, before he grabbed the cape in a dramatic fashion to hide the exposed part of his face as a vampire might. "I do feel safe wearing this. Like, no one knows it's me."

"It's Gya-kun's secret identity." Koneko said with a small smile. "His super hero outfit so he can face the world."

Gaspar couldn't help but giggle aloud as he swished his cape around, using it to both hide his visage and then dramatically exposing his masked face. "I'm a super hero!"

Rias couldn't help but smile at her **[Bishop]** 's enthusiasm, although Gaspar would then stated that he would only wear his outfit for the most special occasions. She was quite glad that Ambrose seemed to be getting along with most of her peerage. Unfortunately, the match between Akeno and Ambrose could only be delayed for so long.

By the sixth day, the pair had decided to finally face off against one another. And so, the rest of the peerage found a place to watch from a safe distance away as Akeno and Ambrose stood across from each other.

"Are you ready for me, Ambrose?" Akeno taunted with a sexy voice. "I've been looking forward to this."

"Let's just get this over with." Ambrose tiredly replied, as if he were bored with the entire ordeal.

Akeno frowned at his lack of enthusiasm, she had hoped to get a more passionate response out of him. Resolving herself to get some sort of reaction out of him, Akeno began to glow as she gathered her power. Lightning began to trace along her body before she thrust her hands out and a powerful bolt of lightning shot across the field towards Ambrose.

The alchemist suddenly grew serious, his right hand quickly reached out to catch the dangerous electrical charge. Akeno's eyes narrowed as she watched her powerful attack began to gather in Ambrose's hand. She then began to redoubled her efforts to inflict as much pain as possible onto her target as the intensity of her continuous strike doubled.

Although the attack had begun to physically push him back, Ambrose showed no signs of strain. He simply continued to gather and collect her own energy before suddenly Akeno's attack broke off and Ambrose tossed the super charged ball of electrical energy up into the air where it then disappeared in the clouds.

"Still trying to play with your opponents rather than take them out efficiently?" Ambrose taunted as the clouds rolled with thunder. "That's going to cost you."

Suddenly, the clouds erupted as Akeno's own attack fell back down and struck the **[Queen]** from behind in a single powerful bolt, causing her to scream out loud and limply fall to the ground.

"Asia." Ambrose called out. "I think Akeno needs your help."

As one, everyone rushed over to help Akeno, her clothes were charred and smoking while she would occasionally spasm and twitch due to the electrical discharge.

"Did you really have to do all that?" Rias asked as she watched the nun begin to expertly heal her scorched **[Queen]**.

"It was her own attack. You're going to chastise me for throwing her own attack back at her?" Ambrose asked, looking at Rias as if she had lost her mind. "Look, at least this way she might learn to respect her opponent and not try to fulfill her sadistic desires on them instead."

Rias couldn't help but sigh at that, secretly agreeing with the alchemist. _"You_ _did ask_ _for this Akeno."_

"Man, that was awesome." Issei couldn't help but shout out, having never seen a magical fight like that before. "When can I learn to do that?"

"Why not now?" Ambrose suggested with a shrug. "I'll give you one free shot, so long as it's a magical attack."

"But I don't know enough about magic in order to attack like that." Issei pointed out with a frown.

"You can't with that attitude. Magic is about your intent, remember? You have to believe you can do it." Ambrose reminded him while taking a few steps back. "Gather your magical energy, just like you were taught. Focus it to a single point until it's ready to burst, just make sure it's aimed towards me."

"Alright." Issei said, suddenly filled with confidence and shouted. "You had better watch out. **[Boosted Gear]**!"

Summoning his **[Twice Critical]** , Issei began to gather his own magical strength. The green jewel on his gauntlet began to glow as he accumulated more and more of his power.

"Take this!" Issei yelled out. "Dragon Shot!"

A ball of green energy launched from Issei's gauntlet towards Ambrose, who simply stood and let it hit him. The result was an impressive explosion that completely covered the area in smoke and debris. To say that the eyewitnesses were surprised would be an understatement. Between Issei actually accomplishing a magical attack and the resulting damage it did, no one knew whether to congratulate the **[Pawn]** or to make sure Ambrose was okay.

Surprisingly, the choice was made for them.

"Not bad, Issei. Not bad at all." Ambrose applauded, emerging from the smoke no worse from the experience.

Issei dejectedly fell to his knees, not only disappointed with the result but exhausted from the effort. "Geeze, all that and you're still standing?"

"It's not me you have to worry about." Ambrose said, waving off his concern. "That was actually pretty good, but it takes too long for you to charge up. Maybe you should focus on a less powerful attack so you can execute it more often. Something like, a combo finisher to your physical attacks."

"Yeah, I guess." Issei mumbled.

"We all start at the bottom." Ambrose encouragingly mentioned, "But look how far you've come after only a few days."

From then on out, everyone continued to train as normal. Issei and Ambrose would both alternate between Yuuto and Koneko. Asia would continue to heal whoever was wounded, and Gaspar and Ambrose wound up completing another sketch book. Akeno seemed to have her fill of challenging the alchemist, though Rias would occasionally see her **[Queen]** give him 'hungry' looks while his back was turned.

" _I hope it's just a crush."_ Rias worriedly thought. _"Ambrose doesn't seem to be interested in her at all, and I'd hate to see Akeno hurt over it."_

Rias, herself, spent most of her time planning for the event by studying Riser's past rating games as well as looking for strategies that might help her. It was a fruitless task that kept her up most nights, which is how she found herself wandering outside one starry night, hoping for inspiration. As she walked along the gazebo in the pale moon light, Rias came upon a most curious sight.

" _That's Issei and Asia."_ Rias realized, narrowing her eyes at Asia's current state before calling out to them. "Issei, what are you two doing?"

Issei suddenly gave Rias a panicked look, causing the **[King]** 's suspicion to rise. "Well, Issei? I'm waiting."

"W-we were just training, Buchou." Issei lamely said as an excuse.

"What kind of training would result in poor Asia's clothes to be torn to shreds?" Rias said in a silent accusation.

"It's true." Asia replied, speaking up for her friend. "I was just helping Issei with his own magical training."

It wasn't a surprise that Asia would stick up for him, in fact Rias would be shocked if the nun ever said anything bad about Issei at all. "You're certain you're alright?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Issei would never harm me." Asia replied, holding the tattered remains of her clothes to her chest in order to protect her modesty.

"Oh, alright then." Rias relented, realizing that there was nothing she could do. _"_ _I suppose it's non_ _e_ _of my business what the two get up to, so long as it's consensual."_

Suddenly, a freezing wind swept through the area and the trio's breath began to fog from the cold. All three of them instinctively began to shiver and wrap their arms around themselves for warmth.

"It appears Ambrose-senpai is up already for his training." Asia commented while trying to hold off the cold. "We had better get inside."

"Ambrose?" Rias questioned, surprised at what Asia said.

"He comes out late at night while everyone is asleep." Issei explained to his **[King]**. "Asia and I usually get an hour or two to train before the entire area starts to freeze. We had better head inside before it really gets cold."

"You two go on ahead." Rias replied, urging her servant and the nun to go inside with out her. "I want to check in on Ambrose's training."

Cautiously, Rias began to search the grounds in order to find the mysterious alchemist. It wasn't hard; she only had to find the coldest spot in the area. As she walked closer to the source, the grass began to cover with frost and snow then began to fall on the ground. Suddenly, she found Ambrose in the middle of the back yard that was now covered in snow and ice. He was standing there, generating the incredible arctic temperatures while creating life sized sculptures of ice. As she approached, the details of his artwork became clearer; they were ice sculptures of her peerage and Asia, there was even one of Sona.

"It's very impressive." Rias commented, trying to keep the biting chill away from her bones.

"Was there something you wanted?" Ambrose asked, not bothering to turn around to personally address her.

"I just wanted to talk." Rias replied with a frown, displeased that he still remained as cold to her as the weather he created.

"Well, if you're going to hang around and freeze then stand there and model for me while I make a sculpture of you too." He said as his foggy breath filled the air.

Happy that he at least appeared to tolerate her presence, Rias stood still as Ambrose created another ice block and began to magically fashion it in her likeness.

"I'm glad to see your opinion of devils seems to be improving." Rias commented, hoping to establish a dialog with him.

"I never had a problem with devils." Ambrose replied, intentionally leaving out just who his problem was with.

"I really wish we could put all this behind us." Rias sadly replied. "If we win, we're going to be neighbors."

"If we win?" Ambrose asked, turning to face her with a raised eyebrow. "As a **[King]** you should be more sure of yourself. Even if you believe it's hopeless, you need to remain confident for your peerage."

"I know that." Rias replied, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "But I also have to be realistic. Going against a Phenex is a difficult task."

"You don't have to tell me, I've already defeated one." He absently responded as he turned to focus on the sculpture.

"Then give me your honest opinion." Rias asked, almost afraid of the answer. "Do you think we can win?"

"It'll be a tough fight, especially with out my **[Sacred Gear]**." Ambrose admitted, sparing her a glance. He then rotated the life sized ice sculpture and presented it Rias. "But I'll make sure we win."

"It's lovely." Rias said, feeling a bit embarrassed for complimenting the shape of her own form. _"But it really is an incredible likeness."_

"I've got a plan that will help us out, should things get desperate." Ambrose suddenly spoke up. "But in order for it to work, you're going to have to trust me."

"What did you have in mind?" Rias asked, hoping he could provide her the strategic advantage she needed.

* * *

It had been 10 days since the announcement of the Rating Game and 9 days since Sona Sitri had walked out on her mother.

" _A long and difficult 9 days."_ Sona thought as she and her **[Queen]** , Tsubaki made their way to the waiting room where the Gremory peerage and Sona's fiance were making their final preparations.

Sona had been able to keep her mind off of her impending banishment, or perhaps being listed a stray, by keeping her peerage busy. Although she surprised them with her ability to survive in the wilderness, she also feared she pushed them too hard in an effort to distract herself from her own problems. Nevertheless, Sona felt that her servants reaped the benefits of the long and harsh training, since they were able to fight completely unrestricted.

Out of her entire peerage, Tsubaki was the only one who was aware that Sona had walked out on her mother. Although her **[Queen]** stood by her decision, both of them remained unsure on what the future held. Sona's decision to not inform the other members of her peerage proved prudent, as she just recently found out that she wasn't listed as a stray nor had she been removed from the Clan's registry. Sona deduced that her mother was most likely waiting for the outcome of this Rating Game before making her final verdict.

" _Sometimes waiting for the hammer to fall can be just as difficult as taking the actual blow."_ Sona frowned in thought.

As much as she wanted a resolution to her current situation, she still dreaded the outcome all the same. No matter what happened, Sona didn't regret her actions and given the choice again she would still make the same decision. However, she did regret the outcome which resulted from her actions. She had been all too aware that involving herself in the matters of other Clans could be disastrous. Her fiance, Ambrose, had even warned her that there could be repercussions from both Phenex and Gremory Clans; she just never imagined it would come to this. Even if her fiance managed to free Rias, there was a very real possibility that it could create a blood feud between the Sitri Clan and the Gremory and Phenex Clans. If that happened, Sona's banishment was all but assured.

 _"By trying to free Rias from her engagement, I managed to put myself in danger."_ Sona thought, chastising herself again for her lack of foresight.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Sona and Tsubaki entered the Gremory waiting room and found Rias's peerage enjoying tea while Ambrose stood off to the side.

"Please excuse my intrusion." She politely said as Tsubaki closed the door behind them.

"Good evening, Sona." Rias said with a welcoming smile. "Welcome."

"Kaichō and Fuku-Kaichō, what are you two doing here?" Issei asked aloud.

"Rating Games are normally broadcast to the entire Underworld." Rias explained to her **[Pawn]**. "But this isn't an official Rating Game so it will only be available to the Clans it relates to."

"Correct." Sona replied, "Since my fiance has agreed to help Rias, I'll be watching from a private viewing room. I thought I would come personally to wish you all good luck."

"Don't worry Sona." Rias said with an easy smile. "I'll show you a fight that won't insult our rivalry."

"Might I have a private moment with my fiance before the match starts?" Sona politely asked while discretely giving her fiance a look so as not to give away her own insecurities to Rias.

"Of course." Rias replied. "But don't take too long, the match is expected to begin soon."

"Thank you." Sona replied as she looked over to her fiance, motioning to the corner.

Ambrose didn't say anything until he, Tsubaki, and Sona arrived in corner of the room.

"How was your training trip?" Sona asked, unsure where to begin the conversation.

"It wasn't bad, once I got used to the hot food and soft beds." Ambrose replied, rolling his eyes. "What about your training trip?"

" _Figures that Rias would train in a plush environment."_ Sona derisively thought with a frown, recalling the hardships of camping out in the wilds of the Underworld with her peerage. _"While both Ambrose and I enjoy a comfortable home, when it comes time to train we both realize it's best to put unnecessary comforts aside."_

"Something's happened." He whispered so as not to be overheard. "What's wrong?"

"The day I arrived in the Underworld I was summoned by my mother." Sona replied, unable to keep the distaste out of her tone when she said 'mother'. "She was not pleased with my arrangement with Rias, and she told me that I had to end our pact and our engagement since you were involved."

Ambrose became visibly upset, but didn't verbally reply.

"I refused her and walked out of the Clan." Sona said to his unspoken question. "I'm not listed as a stray, nor am I officially a runaway yet; however, I suspect that either will happen after this rating game."

Her fiance's features softened as he compassionately looked at her. "I knew there might be repercussions for all this, but I never thought it would be this bad." Ambrose said, reaching out to take her hand.

Sona greatly appreciated the gesture and was in desperate need of a little reassurance; however, she didn't want to make a public display. If she allowed herself to be held in his arms right now she would break down in tears and she couldn't allow that. She needed to maintain a composed appearance in front of the other devils. And so, she simply squeezed his hands in gratitude.

"Should the worse comes to pass, rest assured I will take care of you and your peerage." Ambrose vowed before looking at Tsubaki to reaffirm this promise to her as well. He then turned back to address Sona. "We'll build your school on our land."

" _Our land."_ Sona thought, fighting to keep her tears at bay.

Sona needed this, after almost two weeks with out her lover it was a relief to once again find his unwavering support.

"But you have to promise me something, Sona." Ambrose continued, his tone almost imploring. "No more games. We're on the same side. We're a couple, a team. You don't have to try to manipulate me to do something. We face our problems together, we figure out a solution together, and we execute the solutions together, okay?"

"Okay." Sona promised with a whisper, trying desperately not to cry.

Their conversation was interrupted by Grayfia Lucifuge who entered the room. The **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer swept her gaze across each occupant, raising an eyebrow at Sona's and Tsubaki's presence before she simply stated. "It's time."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to borrow your fiance again, Sona." Rias cheerfully said in a tone Sona found irritating given the interruption of their intimate moment. "Don't worry, I'll give him back to you soon."

"Please, see that you do." Sona simply replied as she and Tsubaki stood next to Grayfia.

"Would you mind watching over Gaspar and Asia during our Rating Game?" Rias asked, gesturing to the nun and the dhampire who was wearing an opera tuxedo and mask, to Sona's surprise. "They can both watch the match with you in the observation room."

"I'll look after them as if they were my own." Sona replied as the pair joined to stand next to her and Tsubaki.

"Are you ready?" Grayfia asked the Ambrose and Gremory peerage.

"Wait." Sona called out before rushing to Ambrose.

She cupped his face in her hands and reached up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "For luck."

Sona stepped back and looked at her fiance's smiling face. His kind eyes were focused solely on her as he, along with Rias and her peerage, disappeared within a Gremory transportation circle.


	20. Season 1, Chapter 12

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

As the magic from the Gremory transportation circle faded away, Sona felt a tug on her left hand and looked down to see the little dhampire, Gaspar Vladi, trying to get her attention.

"Is it true that you're going to marry Am-kun?" Gaspar innocently asked.

"Yes, it's true."

Gaspar didn't reply after that; he simply beamed a smile, showing his tiny fangs and immediately held her hand.

It was such an adorable sight that Sona couldn't help but smile in return. She realized that Ambrose held Gaspar's complete trust, and so too did Sona hold Gaspar's trust by association.

" _Looks like I'm not the only one who put all their faith in Am-chan."_ Sona thought as she gave his little hand a squeeze and led the group to the observation room. _"Guess that means you and I have something in common, Gaspar-kun."_

As Sona and Tsubaki entered the observation room with Asia and Gaspar, she was greeted by her peerage and a surprisingly unexpected guest.

"Onee-sama?" Sona couldn't help but say aloud.

"Sona..." Serafall anxiously said, forgoing her normal nickname.

"Tsubaki, would you mind ensuring our two guests are settled for the match?" Sona asked her **[Queen]** , wishing to have a private conversation with her sister.

"Not at all, Kaichō." Tsubaki dutifully replied.

"I'd be happy to help." Tomoe replied, her heart shaped eyes glued to Gaspar. "Would you like to come sit with me?"

"Shota lover." Tsubasa muttered, only for Tomoe to elbow the **[Rook]** in her solarplex.

Gaspar gave Sona an unsure look; however, after giving him an encouraging nod the little dhampire left to sit with Tomoe. Sona tried to give her **[Knight]** a silent warning to behave herself, but Tomoe was currently too captivated with Rias's young **[Bishop]** to notice.

"Oh, I love your tuxedo and mask." Tomoe cooed as she took Gaspar by the hand.

"Let's go find ourselves a seat, Argento-san." Tsubaki suggested as she led the ex-nun away so the pair of sisters could chat.

"Sona, why didn't you come to see me?" Serafall worriedly asked with a heavy heart. "I would have helped you."

"It's my own problem, and my own fault." Sona admitted, trying to retain her composure. "I didn't want to bother you, Onee-sama."

"I'm your Onee-sama, it's my job to worry about you." Serafall replied with watery eyes.

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona earnestly replied, "But I got myself into this mess, and I don't regret my choice."

"You love him." Serafall said, as if she just realized the truth of the matter. "You really love this alchemist, don't you?"

"Yes." Sona unwaveringly replied. "Completely."

Whatever Serafall was going to say after that was interrupted by the Rating Game starting. The entire group gathered around a cluster of magical floating view screens that would provide multiple views and angles of the entire match.

Suddenly, Grayfia's voice began her introductory announcement. "My Lords and Ladies. I, Grayfia, servant of the Gremory family have been appointed to judge this Rating Game between the Gremory and Phenex families. Taking Lady Rias's and Raiser-sama's opinions into consideration, this match will be held in a replica of Kuoh Academy, the school Lady Rias attends in the human world. Lady Rias's base is located in the Occult Research Club room in the old schoolhouse, while Riser-sama main base is in the principals' office in the main school building. Thus, pawns can be promoted when they manage to invade the enemy's schoolhouse. Good luck to both teams, and may the best peerage win."

* * *

In the Occult Research Club, Ambrose was currently looking out of a window, up at the swirling green aurora that made up the sky of this pocket dimension.

"I have got to learn how to do this." He said aloud, before closing the shutter doors to join Rias and her peerage.

"What did Grayfia mean by promotion?" Issei asked in confusion.

"Just like in chess, when a **[Pawn]** reaches the end of the board, or into an enemy's territory, they can be promoted to take on the traits of any other piece, except the **[King]** 's." Akeno explained to the newest member.

"So I just need to enter the main school building and I'll be as powerful as a **[Queen]**?" Issei excitedly asked.

"Ara, it won't be _that_ easy." Akeno replied, finding the concept funny.

"Don't forget, their **[Pawns]** can also be promoted if they enter this building." Yuuto gravely pointed out. "And Riser-sama has eight **[Pawns]**. You should expect their main base to have the strongest defenses."

"We had best begin." Rias soberly commented while holding out a few tiny magical spheres of light. "Take this, it's how we'll communicate on the battlefield."

The group fastened their magical transceivers to their ear and gathered around a map of the school grounds to lay out their plan of attack.

"We're on the southern most side of the map, with Riser's main base on the northern area." Rias began, "The quickest way would be to cross schoolyard, but we'd be in plain sight."

"I'll take that risk." Ambrose commented. "It would allow the rest of you to move more freely so that his forces can remain focused on me. I'll be the biggest target anyways, considering what the Phenex Clan bet on this match."

"Very well." Rias replied without protest. "Yuuto, and Koneko, I want you two to lay traps within the forest that surrounds the old school building. Akeno, once they're done I want you to cast an illusion around the forest to ensure anyone who enters gets hopelessly lost. After that, I'll need you, Yuuto, to guard the area on your own."

"Of course, Buchou." The **[Knight]** dutifully replied.

"Issei, you and Koneko will then take and hold the gymnasium, which is in the center of the area." Rias instructed, pointing to the building on the map. "This will help us keep our enemies in check from overrunning the old schoolhouse."

"Roger." Koneko listlessly replied.

"Hai, Buchou!" Issei acknowledged.

"Akeno, I'll need to you to remain mobile during this period so you can reinforce which ever group needs it the most. This will leave me vulnerable, so none of you can allow anyone to get past you. Everyone, if you think you're in over your head be sure to call Akeno." Rias instructed her peerage.

"It's a good plan, considering our small numbers." Yuuto tactfully commented.

Rias then gave Ambrose a meaningful look. "Can you work with that?"

"I can make it work." Ambrose cryptically replied with a nod.

"You bet it'll work." Issei confidently said, "We just have to trust in Buchou and everything will turn out fine."

"This is it, then; you all have your orders. Our opponent, Riser, is considered a promising talent, even among the immortal Phenex Clan. But together, I know we can kick his ass." Rias confidently said, inspiring her peerage.

"Right, let's do this!" Issei said as he and the rest of Gremory peerage left the old school house on their assigned tasks, leaving Rias and Ambrose alone.

As Rias watched her peerage leave, the confidence she shown began to melt away to be replace by worry and concern.

"Are you ready?" Ambrose asked her.

"Yes." Rias simply replied. "It's all up to you now."

* * *

Yuuto Kiba quietly moved through the forest, his senses on the look out for any servants of Riser's.

" _This is it."_ He said, mentally preparing himself. _"The traps and illusions are set. Koneko and Issei are headed to take and hold the gym, Ambrose is in the school yard, and Akeno is perched up on the old schoolhouse waiting to assist any of us."_

Still, Yuuto vowed that it wouldn't be him who would need assistance; he had been trained to be a weapon for his entire life.

" _These opponents are just a warm up compared to my true enemy."_ He reminded himself as images of his past flashed in his mind. _"This is all just practice."_

The sound of footsteps broke him from his internal reflection, and soon three of Riser's **[Pawns]** came out from the bushes. Two of them, Marion and Burent, were dressed as maids; the third, Shuriya was ridiculously dressed in a metal bikini.

"Do they seriously think traps like this can protect them?" Marion scornfully commented aloud as she blasted a trap with magic.

"Over there." Burent said, pointing out to a building past the trees. "That must be their main base!"

"Let's go, we can defeat this weak peerage for Master Riser and be back in time for dinner." Shuriya said as the trio rushed towards the old school building. "This is almost too easy."

" _Too easy? How apropos."_ Kiba thought with a smile as the trio of **[Pawns]** suddenly stopped and watched in shock as the old school building suddenly disappeared.

"What just happened?" Marion wondered aloud.

"Too bad." Yuuto called out from behind them, gaining their attention. "I had hoped for more of a challenge than just three **[Pawns]**. Oh well, you can't get out of here anymore. You're inside a barrier that our **[Queen]** created."

"The traps were a diversion!" Burent exclaimed, suddenly realizing that she and her fellow **[Pawns]** were now caught unaware. "We didn't even notice."

"We need cleaver tricks, since we lack manpower." Yuuto said, drawing his blade and adopting a readying stance.

"I don't want to say this, since you're such a pretty boy." Shuriya said, licking her lips in anticipation. "But there's no way you can defeat the three of us on your own."

"Then why are you even hesitating?" Yuuto asked with a handsome smile before charging at the three.

* * *

Ambrose stood alone out on the baseball field as a vanguard to flush out as many opponents as he could. The wide open area offered no cover what so ever; in essence he was bait and that suited him just fine. However, a lack of cover works both ways and so he was easily able to see three of Riser's servants approach him from across the field.

"Here I am, being a perfect target of opportunity and this is what Riser sends me?" Ambrose disappointingly asked aloud. "I suppose I was too obvious, wasn't I?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Siris replied with a menacing grin. "Riser-sama sent us out to personally take care of you and promised to reward us if we made you suffer."

"I see." Ambrose replied, nodding in understanding. "He sent the weakest of his servants out, while the strongest remains inside the school building."

"You have no chance against us, little magician!" Ni, the red haired nekomata yelled back.

"No human can defeat a devil with out holy magic." Li the other twin nekomata said, brushing a bit of her blue hair out of her eyes.

Siris grabbed her broadsword and held it at the ready. "Let me finish this quickly. After all, everyone knows that magicians can't fight in close quarter combat." The **[Knight]** said before she charged.

As Siris ran towards the alchemist with an overhead attack, he reached out with his right hand and deflected her strike at her wrist. He then locked her elbow in place with his left hand while simultaneously grabbing the hilt of her sword with his right. Drawing Siris's own blade up by the hilt, he completely disarmed her before kicking her to the ground where he then used her own blade to finish her off.

" _ **Riser-sama's [Knight] has been retired"** _Grayfia's announced.

"Thanks for the lessons, Kiba." The alchemist said with a smile while experimentally swinging his stolen broadsword.

"H-How?" Ni stuttered in complete shock.

"Siris was a **[Knight]** , there's no way a magican like you could..."

Their denials were interrupted by Ambrose, who sent an Ice Blast towards the pair of nekomata **[Pawns]** , freezing them both within a single block of ice. He then crossed his arms in front of him, before sweeping his arms to the side. The large ice block suddenly detonated, effectively taking out the two twin nekomatas simultaneously.

" _ **Two of Riser-sama's [Pawns] have been retired."**_ Grayfia announced.

"Rias's peerage is still weak. I had better go take out the stronger members of Riser's peerage." Ambrose reasoned aloud while staring at the main school building in the distance. "Time to go pheasant hunting."

* * *

" _ **Kiba has taken out one of Riser's [Pawns]"**_ , Grayfia announced to the arena.

"Sounds like every else is kicking ass." Issei whispered as he and Koneko approached the gym. "What's our plan of attack?"

"There's no point in sneaking in." Koneko replied as she knocked the door of its hinges with a single punch. "They know we're here."

"You might as well come out, servants of the Gremory Clan." A voiced called out to them. "You'll only anger us if you continue to hide, so might as well make it easy on yourselves."

"Jerks." Koneko muttered as she and Issei approached three of Riser's servants.

" _Oh man, four of them?"_ Issei worriedly thought, his apprehension only increasing when he saw the blue haired **[Pawn]** who had taken him out so effortlessly before. _"No, I've gotten stronger, I have my secret technique. I won't fail."_

"Oh look, Mira. It's that weak **[Pawn]** you defeated with a single strike." The girls wearing the Chinese clothes insultingly said. "I'm Xuelan, I'll be defeating you both today."

"I'm Ile." One of the green haired identical twins happily stated.

"And I'm Nel." Her twin followed.

"We're both **[Pawns]** , and we'll be kicking your asses today." They both simultaneously stated.

"Careful." Koneko warned Issei. "Xuelan is a high level **[Rook]**. Her combat ability may be as high as a **[Queen]** 's."

"Seriously?" Issei asked in disbelief before resolving himself. Summoning his **[Twice Critical]** , he determinately stated, "We'll, it isn't as if we didn't know we'd be at a disadvantage. Let's do this!"

"I'll handle the **[Rook]**." Koneko said as she adjusted her gloves adorned with cat paw prints. "Issei-senpai, please take care of the **[Pawns]**. Or at least, run around and keep them busy so I can handle them later."

"Don't worry about me." Issei replied with a confident grin. "I've got a secret technique I've been working on and I can't wait to try it out."

Their dialog was cut short by Xuelan, who suddenly attacked Koneko with a quick procession of fiery kicks and punches.

" _Holy shit, there are actual flames on her hands and feet."_ Issei observed as Koneko expertly dodged her counterpart's attacks. Although agile and nimble, a grazing blow caused part of Koneko's clothes to tear off and Issei's lecherous eyes grew wide at the sight.

The price of Issei's inattentiveness was costly and swift as Mira plunged her pole into his gut once more, causing him to fly back and crack the opposite wall.

Although he had been toughened up during the training, he staggered to rise and was met by the twin grins of Riser's **[Pawns]** , Ile and Nel.

"We're going to rip you apart." They replied in unison as they produced chainsaws and began to chase him around the gym.

As Issei was running around screaming for his life, Koneko continued to go toe to toe with Xuelan, the Chinese **[Rook]** who's flamed attacks continued to put her on the defensive. Finally, Xuelan connected with a spinning round house kick, only to be surprised when the petite Koneko had actually caught it.

"What?" Xuelan exclaimed in shock, only to be punched in the face and sent staggering back.

"Not bad." The Chinese girl said, rubbing her soar jaw only to be suddenly knocked down by a surprise body charge from Koneko.

Xuelan painfully grunted out on all fours as she tried to regain her breath, "What are you?"

"Rias-sama's **[Rook]**." Was Koneko's reply before she lifted her leg and followed through with an axe kick, taking her opponent out.

" _ **Riser-sama's [Rook] has been retired."** _Grayfia announced.

"Did you see that?" Ile yelled out, pointing a finger at Koneko.

"She's a monster!" Nel replied, agreeing with her sister.

"Screw this weak **[Pawn]**. We'll have to take this **[Rook]** down together." Mira said, readying her staff.

" _Now's my chance."_ Issei thought before rushing towards the group of three **[Pawns]** and slapping them on their asses.

"Hey you perverted jerk, what do you think you're grabbing?" Mira angrily shouted out.

"Unforgivable!" The twin **[Pawns]** yelled as all three charged at Issei.

"Take my special technique!" Issei yelled out before snapping his fingers. "Dress Break!"

The result was catastrophic, as the clothes of all three **[Pawns]** were magically blown away. The three girls desperately tried to cover up their naked bodies, as well as their dignities, while Issei couldn't help but let out a triumphant laugh.

"How do you like that?" Issei laughingly gloated, "Now I can see naked girls whenever I want to!"

"You're terrible!" Mira yelled

"You beast!" Ile shouted.

"Enemy of women!" Nel shouted as she and her fellow **[Pawns]** willfully retired from the match.

" _ **Three of Riser-sama's [Pawns]** **have abandoned the match."**_

"Not bad, eh Koneko-chan?" Issei asked, still on his victory high. "You didn't have to help me at all."

"You're disgusting." Koneko simply stated, as a matter of fact.

"What? Koneko-chan, don't be like that." Issei said while reaching out to her, looking for sympathy.

"Don't touch me." The **[Rook]** said, physically withdrawing from him. "We need to go help Yuuto, but from now on you have to walk ten paces ahead of me at all times."

"You're joking, right?" Issei depressingly asked.

"March." Koneko commanded her unwelcome teammate, "Or I'll retire you myself."

As Issei forlornly left the gym, with Koneko a good distance away from him, he called back to her. "You know I would never do that to a fellow teammate, right?"

"You're an unrepentant pervert." Koneko replied, "Keep marching."

"But Koneko..." Issei implored, only for the gym to suddenly explode, knocking him back.

Reeling from the unexpected blast, Issei falteringly rose only to find out that Koneko had taken the brunt of the attack. Her bruised body was nearly completely exposed and naked from the incredible force.

"Koneko!" Issei shouted as he rushed to cradle the tiny girl in his arms.

Koneko painfully stammered a bit, before she disappeared right in front of him.

" _ **Lady Rias's [Rook] has been retired."**_

"What? How?" Issei asked aloud, only to hear a taunting laugh from up above. "You! Riser's **[Queen]**!" He shouted at the flying **[Queen]** , Yubelluna who hovered above the wreckage that was once the gym. "Come down here, I'll fight you!"

"Spare yourself the pain and give up, boy." Yubelluna ridiculed. "No matter how hard you fight, you can't win against us."

"Ara, I beg to differ." A voice called out from the sky.

Spinning in place to find the source, Issei was heartened to see one of the Great Onee-sama's of Kuoh.

"Akeno-senpai!" Issei said in relief, as his **[Queen]** hovered above him in the air.

"Go on Issei." Akeno said while her focus remained on her fellow **[Queen]**. "Leave this one to me. I'll avenge Koneko with all my strength; meanwhile, you know what you have to do."

"Right." Issei called out as he ran off to the forest to provide backup for the **[Knight]**.

Yubelluna gave Akeno an arrogant smirk. "I've always wanted to fight you, Priestess of Thunder."

"Ara, I'm quite honored to hear that, Bomb **[Queen]**." Akeno replied as she began to build up her power, causing tiny arcs of electricity to dance around her body.

* * *

" _ **Two of Riser-sama's [Pawns] have been retired."**_ Grayfia announced as Issei hurried through the forest.

" _That makes three that Kiba has taken out."_ Issei thought as he approached the scene of the battle, only to see alone Kiba sheathing his sword.

"Oh, hey." Yuuto Kiba said, looking at Issei with an easy smile. "You needn't bother to come, I've already dealt with everyone here."

"Just as expected from Prince Charming." Issei jokingly replied. "What now?"

"We should probably head back to the club room." Yuuto suggested, "I haven't heard from Buchou since the match began and I'm starting to worry."

"Good idea." Issei said with a confident grin. "Let's go help Buchou."

"You should rather worry about saving yourselves." A voice called out from the forest.

From the forest, a lone **[Knight]** emerged wearing a chest plate and greaves. She took a moment to brush her light brown hair out of her eyes before glaring at them with her green eyes. "I'm Karlamine. I'll be your opponent."

"Yuuto Kiba." Rias's **[Knight]** replied, before drawing his sword. "A pleasure to meet you."

"We can take her together, Yuuto." Issei confidently said.

"No, she's mine." Yuuto told the **[Pawn]**. "Go help Buchou, I can handle this."

"Right, you've got this Kiba." Issei replied before running off back to the old school building.

"You must be out of your mind to fight me on your own." Karlamine confidently stated to her opposing **[Knight]**. She then drew a flaming broad sword and held it at the ready. "I like idiots like you."

"What can I say? I enjoy crossing swords with a fellow **[Knight]**." Yuuto said with his charming smile as he drew his own blade.

"Well said." Karlamine replied, before rushing towards her opponent.

The two swords clashed and the **[Knights]** began a rapid exchange of strikes and parries. Soon, they began to exchange blows so fast that they were invisible to the untrained eye, leaving only a trail of fire from Karlamine's blade behind. Suddenly the pair broke off their duel in order to reassess one another.

"Not bad, **[Knight]** of the Gremory Clan." Karlamine admitted.

"You're not so bad yourself." Yuuto conceded before turning around in shock when an unexpected explosion blasted him away. His body was launched a meter from where he once stood as he painfully landed on his side.

"What are you doing?!" Karlamine shouted out to an approaching figure. "This was my fight, Mihae!"

A young girl wearing a kimono appeared out of the foliage, her hand covered her mouth in a mocking attempt at humility. "Oh, did I spoil your fun? I think you've forgotten that we aren't here to enjoy ourselves. We were ordered to end this match as soon as possible."

"That doesn't mean you can interrupt my fight with a fellow swordsman." Karlamine heatedly argued back. "It isn't chivalrous."

Yuuto used his sword to help prop himself up, but was once again hit with a magical blast for his efforts and fell unconscious.

" _ **Lady Rias's [Knight] has been retired."**_

"You were saying?" Riser's **[Bishop]** , Mihae rhetorically asked.

Karlamine grumbled at her teammate's unsportsmanlike behavior.

"Once we've finished this Rating Game, Lady Rias's peerage will be aligned with ours." Mihae pointed out. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances to spar with him in the future. For now, let's go end this."

"Fine." Karlamine relented as she followed her teammate to the old school building.

* * *

" _ **Lady Rias's [Knight] has been retired."**_

"Great." Ambrose sarcastically commented aloud as he looked out of the window of the main school building. "Rias is losing her servants and this place has been abandoned."

Entering the main school building was a risk, unfortunately Ambrose had hoped it would be a risk in his favor by encountering more of Riser's peerage.

"It seems that Riser simply wanted to blitz his opponent and left this place completely empty." He reasoned before jumping out of a window and rushing towards the old school building. "I have to regroup before the rest of her peerage gets overwhelmed."

However, before he even reached the smoking ruins that was once the gymnasium he encountered two of Riser's servants on the way.

"Well, well. It seems we found the brazen magician who desires my Clan's Phenex Tear Elixir for himself." Said a little girl with blonde pigtails with drill like curls.

"You must be Ravel Phenex." Ambrose pointed out, before turning to the **[Bishop]** 's bodyguard. "Sorry, didn't catch your name."

"Isabel." Replied the masked brown hair girl with red highlights. "Riser-sama's **[Rook]**."

"A **[Rook]** , huh? Well, I'm kind of in a hurry, so if you two would just get out of my way then I'll leave you be."

"Don't take us so lightly." Ravel irritably shouted. "You've made an enemy of the Phenex Clan. Not only have you inserted yourself in the marriage of my older brother, but you had the impertinence to ask for our family's secret recipe. You'll get no mercy!

"Well then," Ambrose replied as his arms began to coat with ice. "I'm ready for you both."

Ravel scoffed at the challenge, "Excuse me, but I'm not fighting. Isabel, take care of this trash."

At the **[Bishop]** 's command, Isabel menacingly approached the alchemist with a warning. "Prepare yourself."

The powerful **[Rook]** charged at Ambrose, executing a combination of punches and kicks that the alchemist expertly dodged.

"Stand still." Isabel growled out as Ambrose wove around her attacks.

"Like your **[Bishop]**?" Ambrose taunted as he continued to evade her strikes.

"Lady Ravel is Riser-sama's little sister." Isabel lectured as she continued to try to hit her opponent. "She's more or less of a spectator."

Isabel suddenly saw an opening and launched a haymaker in order to end the fight in one move; however, when her punch landed with a harsh BANG she astonishingly realized that the magician had caught it.

"Spectator?" Ambrose snarled before his frozen hand struck her elbow, completely dislocating it. Isabel screamed in pain, but Ambrose followed his attack through with a knee stomp, shattering the bones in her leg in the process which sent the **[Rook]** collapsing helplessly to the ground. His eyes then focused on the little girl in the pink dress from the Phenex Clan before kicking Isabel's fallen body to Ravel's feet.

"Not today." Ambrose growled out with his frosted breath. "Today, you fight."

" _ **Riser-sama's [Rook] has been retired."**_

Ravel watched in horror as the **[Rook]** was magically transported away from the battle, her eyes widened as she saw the alchemist was serious about fighting her.

"You can't do this." The **[Bishop]** alarmingly protested as she fearfully began to back away from him. "This is my brother's engagement, this is how the Pillars have always arranged marriages."

"I wonder how you'll feel when it's you who's engaged against her will." Ambrose angrily replied, "Will your fiance humiliate you, just as your brother has done?"

Ravel's continued protest was cut off by an explosion from a short distance away, in the ruins of what was once the gymnasium.

" _ **Lady Rias's [Queen] has been retired."**_ Grayfia announced.

"You've got more to worry about then me." Ravel arrogantly boasted, her confidence returning as Rias's most powerful servant was taken out. "But then again, the result of this match was a forgone conclusion."

Suddenly, a dark red demonic aura erupted from Ambrose that immediately silenced the **[Bishop]**. With out taking his eyes off of her, the alchemist held out his hand and sent a powerful destructive blast off to where the **[Queens]** ' fight had just concluded. The resulting detonation sent a shock wave throughout the entire area, causing Ravel to brace herself against its force.

Ravel was filled with complete dread and disbelief as she looked out and saw the small mushroom cloud roll through the air from the ensuing explosion.

" _ **R-Riser-sama's [Queen] has been retired..."**_ Grayfia voice stammered across the arena.

Ravel looked at the magician with a dawning sense of absolute terror as she took in his visage. His crimson hair, his cold blue eyes, and the black and red aura that now engulfed his entire body. _"The Power Of Destruction? Maō Lucifer?"_ She couldn't help but think to herself.

"That's… this isn't possible!" She shook her head as she tried to deny the reality of what she was seeing. "Who are you?!"

"I'm the Dragon Slayer." Ambrose replied as he grabbed the sword he stole from Siris and rushed towards her before perfectly swinging the blade.

Startled by the sudden attack, Ravel collapsed on the ground and fell on her rear, closing her eyes as she waited for the inevitable pain.

A moment passed, and there was nothing, no pain.

Cautiously, Ravel opened her eyes, surprised to see that she was uninjured; however, a gust of wind blew against her face and she realized she didn't come out entirely unscathed. Her eyes widened as she looked to her right and saw one of her twin-tails resting on the ground, scrunchy and all.

"My hair..." Ravel said in complete denial. "You cut my hair..."

Angrily, she looked up to yell at the offending magician, only to be met with the tip of Siris's sword that was held in Ambrose's hands.

"Get. Off. My. Battlefield." The alchemist fiercely demanded as he stared her down.

Her eyes narrowing in anger, Ravel hatefully glared at Ambrose. "My brother is going to end you." She venomously promised as her form disappeared

" _ **Riser-sama's [Bishop] has abandoned the match."**_

Ambrose sheathed the sword before looking out towards the old school building.

"This is it. Only a **[Knight]** , a **[Bishop]** , and Riser himself." He said with a confident smile before rushing off towards the old school building. "I can do this."

* * *

" _Shit, shit, shit."_ Issei cursed as he finally reached the old school building. _"How am I suppose to do this?"_

Before him was an image that he privately dreaded; his **[King]** , Rias Gremory was standing at the edge of the roof on old school building while Riser was at the other side.

"Buchou!" Issei shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping to delay the inevitable. "Buchou, I'm coming!"

"Oh, what's this?" Riser asked as he looked down from the roof at the sole **[Pawn]** of his fiance. "It's that pathetic servant of yours."

"Come down here, Riser!" Issei called out. "Come and fight me like a man!"

Riser paused in astonishment before bursting out in laughter. "Oh, why don't you come up here and face me? Or is it that you can't actually fly yet?"

" _Damn it, he's right."_ Issei frustratingly thought, glaring at Riser and the distance that separated them.

"Oh, this is too funny." Riser laughed as he continued to mock Issei.

"Shut up, chicken shit!" Issei yelled as he gathered his magic and yelled, "Dragon Shot!"

The green magical projectile was launched towards Riser, who's face soon turned to surprise before he reflected the magic back at Issei. The resulting detonation knocked Issei off his feet and had him rolling away from the impact.

Riser continued to laugh at Issei's expense. "It's a good thing you're still up. Being taken down by your own attack would be rather humiliating."

Suddenly, two figures entered the scene and Issei was dismayed to find out that they weren't members of his own team.

"Riser-sama." The **[Bishop]** Mihae said before kowtowing before her **[King]**.

"Master Riser." Karlamine reverently said, kneeling for her **[King]**.

"Looks like things have gone from a hopeless situation to a complete disaster for you, little **[Pawn]**." Riser tauntingly called down. "Mihae, take care of this pest."

"With pleasure, Riser-sama." Mihae replied with an eager grin and rose to face her opponent. "Now then, how shall I finish you off?"

"How?" Issei wondered aloud, "There's no way Kiba would have lost to another **[Knight]** , unless…. Unless you attacked him from behind!"

"Ara, you're not as dumb as you look." Mihae derisively taunted. "Don't mourn him, you'll be joining your friend soon enough."

"Don't underestimate me. I'll use my secret technique to take you out." Issei yelled out as he charged the kimono wearing **[Bishop]**.

Mihae simply responded by blasting Issei with a magical attack that tossed him a small distance away. Tumbling for a bit, the **[Pawn]** reeled for a moment before standing up on his shaken legs.

"You must be an idiot if you think I'm going to engage you in physical combat." Mihae scornfully said before blasting the **[Pawn]** again, knocking him back down. "Magic is so much more sophisticated, don't you think?"

As Issei struggled to stand, he managed to growl out."Don't think you can take me out so easily."

"Easily?" Mihae mockingly asked, "Little **[Pawn]** , I'm holding back."

Her innocent face took on an arrogant smirk as her body began to glow with power, and a huge ball of energy launched at Issei who desperately tried to block it. The blast fully engulfed him, tearing his clothes to shreds and left him within a smoking crater.

"Well, that settles that." Mihae confidently said.

"Not… Finished… Yet..." Issei hoarsely whispered as he crawled himself out of the pit.

"Oh my, you're a lot tougher than I thought." Mihae stated, her eyes wide in delight. "I wonder how much strength you have left in you."

" _Damn it. Damn it, I'm still so weak."_ Issei cursed himself, _"I've always been the weakest in the group. I'm suppose to have some great power with in me, but I can't use it. I couldn't save Asia, and now I'm going to fail at saving Rias. What's the point of having this power when I can't use it to save my friends? Where is this power?"_

"WHERE IS IT?!" The **[Pawn]** frustratingly screamed into the air.

" **EXPLOSION!"** A voice from Issei's gauntlet shouted out.

Suddenly his **[Twice Critical]** gauntlet shifted and changed to the **[Boosted Gear]** , completely covering his entire hand and fingers. A beam of light shone brightly through the center jewel as the powerful aura of a dragon began to fill the area.

"Impossible!" Mihae incredulously said as the pressure from the magical force began to push back against her, "That's a mid-tier shock wave! No, it's even stronger!"

" **BOOST** "

"Oh? I thought it was a stupid **[Twice Critical]**." Riser commented from his lofty vantage point, unaffected by Issei's power. "Looks like you've been keeping secrets, haven't you Rias?"

" **BOOST** "

"The Red Dragon Emperor." Karlamine whispered in complete awe from the sidelines.

" **BOOST** "

With tears in his eyes, Issei resolutely marched towards Mihae, one exhausted step after another.

" **BOOST** "

"Stay Away!" Mihae called out in fear and shot a magical blast towards Issei, who simply swatted it away.

" **BOOST** "

"Take This You Bitch!" Issei screamed out as his fist continued to glow brighter and brighter. " **DRAGON SHOT!** "

A solid beam of bright green energy burst forth from Issei's fist, which hurled itself towards the hapless **[Bishop]**. Her terrified screams was soon drowned out by the roaring explosion which completely surrounded her.

Where Mihae once stood was now a trench that started from Issei and the old schoolhouse and stretched off into the distance, dug from Issei's own magical blast. No one said anything for awhile, everyone was utterly stunned by the turn of events…

" _ **Riser-sama's [Bishop] has been retired."**_

And with Grayfia's announcement, the spell of silence was broken and Issei collapsed to his knees in exhaustion.

"I did it..." He whispered as his tearful eyes pleadingly looked up at Rias, searching for recognition. "I did it Buchou."

Completely exhausted and drained for the exertion, Issei collapsed and passed out.

" _ **Lady Rias's [Pawn] has retired."**_

"Well, that certainly was entertaining." Riser commented with an amused grin, before turning his attention back to Rias. "But now that that's taken care of, we have a wedding to attend to."

"I would beg to differ." Ambrose called out, stepping out from the shadows. "You still have to face me."

"You?" Riser dismissively asked. "You aren't even worth acknowledging. Rias is within my grasp, while my **[Knight]** and I stand between you and her. You've already lost."

"It isn't over yet." Ambrose fiercely replied as his arms began to coat with ice and he pulled out Siris's sword.

Taking the initiative, Ambrose charged at Riser only to be met by his **[Knight]** Karlamine's attack. As they began to trade blows, the flaming sword of Karlamine began to leave trails of fire whenever she swung.

"You're pretty skilled. But you're still a novice!" Karlamine complimented before twisting her wrist and expertly disarming Ambrose.

As the sword flew away, the **[Knight]** didn't hesitate to thrust her blade towards the alchemist's chest only for Ambrose to catch the blade barehanded.

"That's not possible." Karlamine grunted as she continued to thrust the blade forward, trying to pierce his abdomen. Her eyes widened in alarm as the ice on his his frozen arms began to spread in an instant, completely covering her sword and snuffing out its flame.

The thermal shock of the extreme temperature change made the blade brittle and it began to crack.

With a cry of "You're Finished!" Ambrose broke the sword between his hands and then thrust the broken blade tip into Karlamine's neck.

Karlamine choked in shock and disbelief and as she coughed up a mouthful of blood; her tearful eyes were wide in denial as she fell to her knees and disappeared.

" _ **Riser-sama's [Knight] has retired."**_

Taking a satisfying breath, Ambrose looked up to Riser who watched in shock from atop of the school building. "Looks like it's just you and me."

"No." Riser said, angry that his entire peerage had been defeated in what should have been an easy match. "No, it's just Rias and I, walking down the isle."

Riser then turned away from Ambrose and rushed across the rooftop towards Rias. Reaching out, he grabbed her by the wrist and thrust their joined hands in the air in triumph. "It's over, I won!"

Suddenly, his hand and sleeve was soaked. Curiously, he watched as Rias's arm completely break away, severing itself from her body and began to melt in his hand. Confused, he looked over to Rias who had a mocking smile on her frozen face, a face that was becoming more and more translucent before it and her entire body began to distort and melt away.

"Ice?" Riser asked in bewilderment at what he was seeing. "An ice golem?!"

"You didn't really think I'd risk this match on Rias's foolishness, did you?" Ambrose said, now standing on the opposite side of the roof. "You should have taken the deal I offered."

"Where is she?" Riser hissed in anger as he glared at the alchemist.

"Hidden, of course." Ambrose replied as if the answer was obvious. "Not that I imagine you'd have a happy future even if you did manage to defeat me. What kind of fiance can't tell the difference between his bride and a pale imitation?"

"You dare to mock me?" Riser growled out.

"You're worthy of being mocked." Ambrose countered with a grin. "All that talk and I've taken out 8 of your servants. It's kind of sad, don't you think?"

"Your victories will end here." Riser declared as his entire body was engulfed with his immortal flame. "You're about to learn what it means to cross a Phenex!"

"But you're not the first Phenex I've defeated." Ambrose chidingly replied. He reached behind him and pulled out a long lock of blonde hair that curled like a drill bit. "I was certain you'd come and face me, if only to save her. You should have heard her cry out for you."

"You… You hurt my baby sister?!" Riser said, his anger now turning his voice into an intense whisper.

"She should have known better then to come to a battle, unwilling to fight." Ambrose replied, his voice growing colder and colder as his chilling aura began to push back against Riser's flames. "Don't worry, I'm sure you can cry over her beaten form later."

"I'll Burn You To Ashes!" Riser shouted out as the fury of his flames erupted from his body and immediately set the old school building alight.

Ambrose responded with an arctic explosion that rebuffed Riser's heat, and the two opposing forces of fire and ice began to duel one another.

"You think your pitiful magic can save you from me?" Riser called out as his inferno only intensified with his anger. "You'll be nothing but ashes when this is over."

"Look at you, the flaming rooster standing on a pile of shit, crowing to the world while foolishly believing he's so great." Ambrose mocked as his own aura continued to grow colder and colder. "You can't touch me, your flames can't touch me. You're pathetic!"

"DIE!" Riser shouted as he used the force of his flames to rocket himself towards Ambrose.

"Too Slow!" Ambrose shouted as he launched himself away form Riser.

Blinded by rage, Riser began to fly, chasing Ambrose around the entire arena. They reached the edge of the eastern border before Ambrose turned north and continued to lead Riser away.

"Is this it?" Ambrose laughed as he continued to guide Riser around the fake school property, curving westward once he reached close enough to the northern edge. "Is this how you'll avenge your crying sister?"

"You're Dead! You're Beyond Dead! I'll Even Burn Your Ashes Till There's Nothing Left!" Riser screamed as he frantically gave chase.

Round and round they went, with Ambrose and his arctic aura leading Riser and his blazing wrath into a deathly spiral. The tremendous forces of Riser's inferno and Ambrose's arctic chill began to level all the surrounding buildings as Ambrose continued to coil around the arena. A violent reaction from the scorching high pressure and the frozen low pressure began to form as the pair continued their counter-clockwise spiral, leaving a trail of both hot and cold magical energy behind. On and on they spun, closer and closer to the center of the spiral as Riser's continued his chase.

* * *

"Is he trying to piss him off?" Tsubasa couldn't help but ask as she and her peerage watched the fight from the observation room.

"Yes." Sona simply replied.

"Why?" Tomoe asked, with a worried Gaspar sitting on her lap.

"I have no idea." Sona truthfully answered. _"What are you doing, Am-chan?"_

"He's trapped." Tsubaki observed. "They're both giving off a tremendous amount of energy, leaving behind a magical trail of both hot and cold energy in their wake. By leading him into a spiral, Ambrose has closed off any potential escape route that he might take. All he can do is delay until they reach the center."

" _Until they reach the center."_ Sona thought as she began to observe the effects off her fiance's strange move. _"He lead him on a chase, on purpose. He made him angry, so he could lead him on this chase, but why? Why make Riser so angry that he burns everything around him? Why lead him in this spiral pattern?"_

"Of course." Sona exclaimed. "It's a trap."

"Yes, but one that your magician created and fell into." Saji replied, crossing his arms.

"No, Riser's finished." Sona confidently stated. "The swirling mass of hot and cold energies that are forced into this spiraling pattern can only result in one thing once they reach the center."

"What's that, Kaichō?" Reya curiously asked.

"A tornado." Sona replied to her **[Pawn]**. "A magical tornado made up of Riser's own heat and Am-chan's freezing. He's going to use Riser's own power against him."

* * *

"YOU'RE MINE!" Riser shouted as their spiral chase suddenly reached the center and he reached out towards Ambrose, only to be rocketed skywards by a single punch.

The entire arena was suddenly filled with chaos and destruction and from the center of the field erupted a magical cyclone in the shape of an Asian Dragon that clamped down on Riser and launched itself to the sky with a mighty roar. Screaming in fright, Riser was violently tossed in the air within the mouth of a great and powerful whirlwind dragon. As the fierce wind and flying debris began to tear Riser apart, he began to use his immortal flames to heal himself; however, the hotter his flames got the more powerful the mighty twister became. In a vicious cycle, he would desperately try to heal himself over and over, only for the heat of his own blaze to be turned against him and strengthen the giant dragon made of wind.

There on the ground, in the eye of the storm, stood Ambrose who maintained his icy aura that kept the tornado in place. So long as he maintained his own arctic chill the tornado would indefinitely remain until Riser's flame was finally snuffed out.

"No!" Riser helplessly screamed out as he was torn apart and rebuilt over and over as his flames continued to fuel the cyclone beast that was his own destruction.

"You're Finished!" Ambrose yelled as his dark red demonic power began to engulf him.

The Power of Destruction shot out from the base of the tornado, traveling the twisted length of the mighty whirlwind dragon before it reached its head and a massive explosion consumed the entire battlefield. A giant black and red sphere of destruction burst forth in a deafening explosion and blanketed the entire field. Any debris or standing structure that remained from the wild tornado was soon shrouded by the dark detonation, and the enormous tornado dissipated violently in its wake.

And then, there was silence and nothing else. Everything had been destroyed in the chaos of that final attack; the only thing that remained standing was the alchemist who caused all the destruction.

With his body covered in dust and his clothes torn from the entire ordeal, Ambrose let out an exhausted breath as the dust began to settle. He took a moment to look around, not at all surprised to see that the entire school grounds was now one large crater; yet he didn't move, he simply waited.

Suddenly, a blackened charred body landed on the ground, kicking up a bit of dust from its impact. Cautiously, Ambrose approached the singed remains of Riser Phenex. His form was unrecognizable, his skin was burnt and cracked, his own healing flames was now reduced to a smoldering ember that faintly glowed between the shards of his seared skin. Taking pity, Ambrose held out his hand and froze his fallen foe within a block of everlasting ice.

After taking another cleansing and satisfying breath, Ambrose closed his eyes and began to focus his magic. He held out his hand, and a large block of ice in the shape of a drill suddenly emerged from the ground. He let it continue to spin for a moment before it finally slowed down and stopped. With a snap of his fingers, the ice drill shattered completely and the body of Rias Gremory fell to the ground.

Shivering from the cold and the experience, Rias wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Is it over?"

" _ **Riser-sama has been defeated."**_ Grayfia announced as if to answer her question.

"Yeah, Gremory." Ambrose replied. "You won."

* * *

Sona Sitri ran through the halls of the Sitri Family's Hospital, almost leaving her two traveling companions behind. Both Gaspar Vladi and Asia Argento struggled to keep up as she expertly navigated through the hospital and into the private wing where she knew the Gremory peerage and her fiance would be located.

"Kaichō" Asia gaspingly called out as she and Gaspar finally caught up. "Please... wait up."

Sona's features soften as she looked back at the ex-nun and dhamire, feeling a bit of shame for leaving them behind.

" _Sadly, I didn't stop so they could catch up."_ Sona realized as she took a breath and reminded herself to be patient. _"I just don't know what room they're in."_

"Come on." Sona encouragingly said, "Let's start checking rooms so we can find them."

One by one the trio began searching down the empty halls, and Sona wished she had made the effort to actually ask one of the staff where they were located instead of just barging in.

"Am-kun!" Gaspar suddenly shouted out and darted through the door he had just opened.

" _At last."_ Sona thought as she and Asia hurriedly entered the large hospital room.

The entire Gremory peerage was there. Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko were wrapped in bandages, unconscious and resting after their ordeal. Issei also remained unconscious, though he appeared to be in a better condition compared to the previous three. Rias, who managed to stay hidden during the entire fight, was still awake though she had a blanket wrapped tightly around her in order to stave off the effects of being frozen.

"Issei!" Asia called out as she rushed to his side.

"He's alright." Rias said, reassuring the ex-nun. "He's just worn out. There's nothing for you to heal."

"Issei..." Asia said as she reached out to hold his hand.

"You were awesome, Am-kun!" Gaspar excitedly said to his hero.

"Thanks, little man."

And there was Ambrose, looking a bit scuffed up but no worse for wear. Sona recalled that none of Riser's peerage had managed to touch him, not even Riser himself.

" _Surprisingly the most damage he took was from his own attack, that magical dragon cyclone he created."_ Sona realized as she managed to catch his eye.

"Hello." He simply said as he instinctively walked towards her.

"Hi." Sona replied as she matched him step for step until they met face to face.

Both of their hands rose to reach each other and as their hands locked and their fingers intertwined, Sona felt complete again. They said nothing else, they just continued to stare into each other's eyes, silently reaffirming their commitment and their love.

The private moment was interrupted by Rias who gave a polite cough to get their attention.

Sona tried to hide her embarrassment by turning to face Rias. "Congratulations on a successful victory, Rias." She said with rosy cheeks.

"I think it's your fiance who deserves the congratulations." Rias uncomfortably admitted with an embarrassed smile. "He took out eight of Riser's servants and Riser himself. He's also the one who came up with the idea to create an ice golem with my likeness as a decoy, before freezing me within a block of ice at the start of the rating game."

"I'm glad it worked." Ambrose replied with a smile. "You should have seen Riser's face when you melted in his hands."

"I'll have to check the replay." Rias said, smiling at the thought.

"You'll have to watch it for more than just Riser." Sona told her rival. "Your entire peerage performed well, and Issei unlocked his **[Boosted Gear]**. He fought very hard for you, you should be proud."

"Yes, I am." Rias said as she turned to look at her unconscious **[Pawn]** whose hand was still being held by Asia.

"Is there room for one more person, here to offer his congratulations to the conquering heroes?" A smooth voice called out from behind Sona.

"Onii-sama!" Rias exclaimed in surprise.

Turning around in order to give her customary bow in honor of Maō Lucifer, Sona was suddenly so stunned that she forgot to bow at all. There, standing before her was not only Grayfia, but also a face she had come to know very well. She had always thought that her fiance and Sirzechs held a striking resemblance, but seeing them so close to each other, facing one another, she couldn't help but realize they were nearly identical.

" _Maō Lucifer wears his hair differently and is a few inches taller, but Am-chan could easily gain that height when he fully matures."_ Sona thought as she looked back and forth between the Maō and her lover. _"Other than that, they're exactly the same. Could he actually be Millicas? If so, how does he have **[Sacred Gear]** ; how is he able to wield holy power?"_

"You must be Ambrose, the Dragon Slayer." Sirzechs said with a kind smile as he approached the alchemist, offering him a handshake. "I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to finally meet you."

Ambrose offered no reply, and as Sona looked up at her fiance once more she could tell that he was completely frozen by what he saw. For a moment, no one moved or said anything at all as Sirzechs patiently kept his smile on his face with his hand outstretched for Ambrose to shake.

" _Am-chan, do something."_ Sona thought as she elbowed Ambrose in the side, worried that her fiance might offend the Maō.

Startled by Sona's light jab, Ambrose awkwardly replied. "Oh.. right..." Before recovering from the sight of the Maō in front of him and shaking his hand in return. "Nice to meet you."

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done for my sister; you don't know what this means for my entire family." Sirzechs said to the alchemist.

"Gremory… that is, your sister is paying me for my services." Ambrose said, waving off his concern. "There's no need..."

"I owe you more than for what you've done for Rias-chan." Sirzechs interrupted, unwilling to let the matter be brushed aside. "You're the one who dealt with the rouge Fallen Angels, not only uncovering a plot to frame both Rias-chan and Sona, but you also discovered a terrorist organization and a coup attempt against me and the other Maōs."

"Yes… but..." Ambrose said but was interrupted by Sirzechs.

"I hear you're also to thank for providing us with the fertility enhancers." Sirzechs pointed out. "Believe me, we have much to be grateful for… and it's all because of you."

"Well… if you are feeling grateful there is one thing you can do..." Ambrose trailed off, his voice taking on a playful tone.

"Oh, what's that?" Sirzechs asked, almost eagerly.

"You could smooth things over with Lord Gremory." Ambrose replied with a teasing smile.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Sirzechs chuckled. "You've done more than save my sister. You've made my family whole again."

"Right..." Ambrose said, his voice trailing off. "Well… This has been interesting, but Sona and I have some additional business to attend to."

"Oh?" Sirzechs curiously asked. "What sort of business is that?"

"I'm going to smooth things over with Lord Phenex." Ambrose replied, offering his arm to Sona in a discrete statement that he wanted to leave this room.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Sirzechs asked, his brow creased with worry. "I can't imagine he'd be happy right now."

"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself." Ambrose replied with an easy smile.

" _Damn, even their smile looks identical."_ Sona thought, unable to keep her gaze from going back and forth.

"Before you go there is one other thing." Sirzechs called out to the alchemist before he left. "We're having a party tomorrow night, a celebration for Rias's victory."

"We are?" Rias suddenly spoke up.

"Well, it was originally meant to be your engagement party, but since we've already paid for the venue and the catering services we might as well enjoy it." Sirzechs embarrassingly admitted to his sister, before turning back to Ambrose. "As the hero who saved my little sister, you would be the guest of honor."

"I… really don't want to impose." Ambrose said, trying to find a way to back out.

"I insist." The Maō stated. "The prizes that you've won will also be bestowed upon you at the party as well."

"I guess I don't have a choice..." Ambrose hesitantly admitted.

"Excellent, we all look forward to seeing you there." Sirzechs said with a smile. "Grayfia, would you be so kind as to escort Ambrose and Sona to see the Phenex Clan? We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him."

"Of course, Maō Lucifer." Grayfia obsequiously replied with a bow before opening the door for the pair. "This way, if you please."

The trio then exited the hospital room, pausing for a moment to let Grayfia take the lead towards the Phenex Clan's private room.

As soon as the maid's back was turned, Ambrose broke away from Sona, his eyes were wide in alarm as he pointed back to the previous room.

" _WHAT THE FUCK?!"_ Ambrose's mouth silently lipped in panic.

" _I TOLD YOU!"_ Sona silently replied to her fiance, pointing at him and then back to the room. _"I TOLD YOU!"_

Grayfia, realizing the pair was beginning to trail behind her, turned around only to find Sona and Ambrose serenely linked by the arm.

"Problem?" Ambrose asked as if nothing was wrong.

"No, no problems at all." Grayfia pleasantly replied, almost giving off a smile. "Everything is as it should be."

The three said nothing further and continued down the hall, around the corner until Grayfia stopped at a door. "One moment, while I announce your presence."

"I'd like a moment, before you announce us." Ambrose said, turning to his fiance with a concerned look. "This hasn't been easy us, you especially. Now, I'm going to try to smooth things over, but there's no guarantee. I'm worried that you might be further involved in the consequences should this meeting end badly."

"You and I are in this together, remember?" Sona said, reminding him of their promise. "We face our problems together."

Ambrose smiled and nodded before Sona looped her arm through his once again. "We're ready."

Grayfia gave a small smile and a nod at the couple before she opened the door.

What Sona heard inside cause her doubt and worry to only increase.

"What kind of game are you playing, Zeoticus?" Lord Phenex bellowed. "What the hell was all that?"

"Excuse me." Grayfia called out, effectively silencing the entire room. "May I introduce Ambrose the Dragon Slayer along with his fiance, Lady Sona heiress apparent of Clan Sitri."

" _I wonder how much longer I'll be able to call myself that."_ Sona depressingly thought as she and her fiance entered the room.

To say that the room was full would be an understatement. Not only was Riser's full peerage there, most completely bedridden, but so was the entire Phenex Clan. In addition, Lord and Lady Gremory was also present and both Clans were clearly in the middle of an argument with one another. Both Clans had ceased their argument as soon as the couple entered, and they all held varying looks of complete disbelief on their faces. Lord Phenex's face was red in anger, which clashed with his normally pale skin and long blond hair. His wife, Lady Phenex, was too busy trying to take care of her fallen son Riser to involve herself in the argument;however, her eyes were wide in surprise when Ambrose and Sona entered the room. Lord Gremory's face had gone pale, practically pasty, while his wife covered her mouth in shock. However to Sona, the most surprising occupant in the room was the thin unassuming doctor with glasses and a lab coat that was tending to Riser's scorched body.

" _Father."_ Sona forlornly thought as their eyes unexpectedly met.

"What… What is this?" Lord Gremory asked in confusion as he looked back and forth from Ambrose to Grayfia.

"This is Ambrose, the Dragon Slayer." Grayfia replied, gesturing to the alchemist. "The alchemist and magician that Sona has a pact with. He's here to speak with Lord Phenex."

"What are you doing here?" Ravel childishly demanded, looking ridiculous with one side of her head without her signatory curls. "Why should we listen to you after everything you did to us?"

"Did you really walk onto a battlefield and expect that a hair on your head wouldn't be harmed?" Ambrose incredulously asked the **[Bishop]** , as if the idea itself was absurd.

Ravel immediately shut her mouth in shock, knowing that answering truthfully would be more embarrassing than not answering at all.

"And as for Riser." Ambrose said, walking towards his unconscious burnt form. "Will he recover?"

Startled by the question, Shitori stuttered a bit before answering. "Eventually, though his Clan's elixir will no doubt help. Right now he's magically exhausted."

Somberly, Ambrose turned towards Lord Phenex who, while clearly angry, had yet to protest at the alchemist's appearance. "Lord Phenex, I offered your son a deal. A deal to not only return the remains of Saffron back to your family, but to purchase all the jusendo water the Phenex Clan could ever want. Instead of taking the deal, he chose to risk everything in a gamble. Riser lost today but that doesn't necessarily mean the Phenex Clan has to walk away with nothing."

"What do you mean?" Lord Phenex cautiously asked, his eyes darting towards Zeoticus before going back to Ambrose.

"I'm the one who defeated your father." Ambrose admitted. "I was a young boy and both he and Prince Herb wanted to take the Kettle of Plenty from me for their own individual reasons. We fought, and I survived. Over ten years later, I met your son and offered him a deal to not only return Saffron to your clan, but also to purchase as much jusendo water as your family needs; he refused. Now here we are." The alchemist then took a deep breath and released a sigh. "I'm tired of fighting your family, and I hope that you and I can put this behind us and reach a deal of our own."

It was at this point that Sona tried to hide a smile from her face, she loved watching him negotiate.

"What sort of deal?" Lord Phenex gruffly inquired.

"I'm prepared to give your father back to you." Ambrose stated. "Let's call it a peace offering. However, that would leave me with out a source of the Phenex Tears that I need to actually create the elixir. I also remain the owner of the Kettle of Plenty that produces an unlimited supply of jusendo water, which you need to increase the production of your elixir." He paused for a moment, before making his offer. "I want half of your monthly production of tears in exchange for a specified amount of jusendo water that you need."

"What? HALF?" Lord Phenex shouted in complete disbelief. "Ridiculous!"

"Why not?" Ambrose calmly asked. "Jusendo water is an amazing substance, allowing you to increase the volume of the tears with out reducing its potency. Despite the fact that you would be working with less tears, you would still be able to make much more of the elixir than you currently produce. Jusendo water is also useful for more than just your Clan's signature elixir and you could branch out into other potions, if you so chose to."

Although still visibly upset, Sona was astonished to see that Lord Phenex gained a thoughtful look.

Sensing his advantaged, Ambrose continued to press. "Think about it, producing the magical water on your own is costly as well as time consuming. You would reduce your overhead while simultaneously increase your production and your profit margin; you'd be making more money not only per sale but by sheer volume as well."

"Assuming you don't undercut me and drive prices even lower." Lord Phenex pointed out.

" _Now they're both negotiating."_ Sona thought, trying to hold back her smile.

"I won't undercut you." Ambrose promised, "In fact, I'll only sell half of what I produce to the Underworld and sell the rest in my shops on Earth, allowing you to dominate the market in this realm."

"But you would have a complete monopoly in the human world." Lord Phenex grumbled aloud. "I've never been able to sell in the human world, the demand for our elixir is too great in this realm. However, if I'm able to increased production of the elixir then there's nothing preventing me from expanding to the human world."

"You'd need a store to sell it in." Ambrose suggestively brought up.

Lord Phenex gave Ambrose a shrewd look, appraising the alchemist and his sincerity. "I want 50 gallons of jusendo water a month plus and additional 300 gallons for a signing bonus."

"Not that I have a problem with that amount, but what ever for?" Ambrose couldn't help but ask.

"Jusendo water is a magical amplifier." Lord Phenex said, his eyes trailing to his burnt son. "It enhances the effects of many different magical properties, including my clan's ability to regenerate. I can bathe my son with the extra water and his own regeneration will begin to heal him."

"I can agree to that." Ambrose happily replied.

"As for the rest, we'll both sell in the human world and in the Underworld, splitting the market 50/50." Lord Phenex offered. "That way we both can be sure that neither one of us is undercutting the other. You can sell to the hospitals here, I'll sell my potions in your stores."

"I'll need a 20% commission fee to cover my overhead for any potions sold in my stores." Ambrose said before holding up his hands in a placating manner as Lord Phenex began to bluster. "I have to pay taxes and my employees. You need to consider that the Phenex Tear Elixir will sell for a much higher price on Earth than in the Underworld due to its rarity and high demand."

Lord Phenex suddenly grew quiet and thoughtful as he considered the proposal. Sona couldn't help but hold her breath as this deal meant more than just an increase of funds for their war coffers, but peace between Clan Phenex and her fiance.

"I think we have a deal." Lord Phenex said, smiling while offering his hand.

Ambrose smiled back and shook his hand in return. "Oh, that reminds me there is one more addendum I'd like to include in our agreement?"

"Oh?" Lord Phenex curiously asked, his anger now absent from his face.

Ambrose suddenly looked at Ravel and smiled at her, causing the little **[Bishop]** to dramatically pale.

 _"You better be joking."_ Sona jealously thought as she gave his arm a squeeze. " _Don't You Dare, Am-chan!"_

Ambrose then turned away from Ravel, completely ignoring the apprehensive girl as he focused on Lord Phenex once more. "I plan on donating the first 50 vials of the Phenex Tear Elixir to the Sitri Family Hospital, in light of their excellent service and our newfound agreement. Care to match me, Lord Phenex?"

"I don't see why not." The blonde haired head of the Phenex Clan mused while thoughtfully rubbing his goatee. "Yes, I think that's a fine idea."

" _Thank you Am-chan."_ Sona thought, giving her father a significant look. _"I can only hope this makes a difference and father actually stands up to mother."_

"Well then, I look forward to a fruitful business arrangement, Lord Phenex." Ambrose pleasantly replied, relieved to have put all of this behind them. "I'm sure you all have had a long night, I know I have. I'll leave you all to it. Good evening, Lords and Ladies."

"Good Evening to you all." Sona respectfully said as she left the room with her fiance.

"This way, please." Grayfia beckoned, leading the couple outside of the hospital. "May I offer my congratulations, not only on your victory but also in appeasing both Clans and preserving the peace."

"Thanks." Ambrose replied. "But we're not there yet. While things with the Phenex Clan seem promising, I can only hope Gremory, that is Lady Rias and Maō Lucifer can actually mollify Lord Gremory."

"I don't believe you have anything to worry about with any member of the Gremory Clan." Grayfia replied as she continued to lead the pair down the hallway.

"We still have one more Clan to worry about." Ambrose said with a frown, giving his fiance a look. "But I hope things will work out in the end."

"Thank you." Sona gratefully replied, knowing that 100 free doses of the Phenex Tear Elixir would go along way in her families hospital. _"And that's in addition to the increase in production as well. Our hospitals are going to need it for the battles that awaits us in the future_. _I just hope it will be enough to appease mother._ "

Grayfia lead the two lovers out into a night adorned with a full moon. As they exited, the maid turned to address them both and held out a flier with Maō Lucifer personal symbol on it. Activating the flier, the symbol began to glow before a creature magically burst forth and appeared before them.

"What a handsome griffin." Ambrose commented aloud as the creature appeared.

"While the deed to the Seere Valley will be given to you tomorrow, please feel free to spend the night at the estate." Grayfia respectfully commented. "This griffin will take you to your new property, compliments of my Maō Lucifer."

"Thank you, Ms. Grayfia." Ambrose sincerely said, smiling at the maid who surprisingly replied with a smile of her own.

"Grayfia-san, might I ask that you ensure that my peerage joins us at our new home?" Sona asked, knowing that they all could use a fresh place to sleep after camping out in the wilderness for so long.

"I will see that they find their way to your new home, and that they are well taken care of." Grayfia replied with a bow.

Sona turned to her fiance, only to see him already on the griffin's saddle with his arm outstretched towards her. Blushing, Sona accepted his offer and sat side saddle in his lap, pressing their bodies close together as the griffin launched itself in the air with a roar.

Although the large moon and the beautiful view as a sight to behold, Sona couldn't help but keep her eyes on her lover, grateful for all he's done for her, yet heartbroken because of everything she put him through.

"I'm such an idiot." Sona shamefully admitted as she began to softly cry. The pressure and weight of almost losing everything had finally caught up to her. "I almost caused a war between my Clan and the Phenex and Gremory Clans, just because I wanted to fix everything. Hell, I still might lose my position as the heiress of the Sitri Clan. I thought knowing the future meant knowing all the answers."

"We simply do the best we can with what we know, just like everyone else." Ambrose replied, brushing her tears away. "But knowing more than everyone else means we take greater risks, and thus we have more to lose. So, all we can do is learn from our mistakes."

"If there's one thing I've learned from the entire ordeal, then it is this: Even if I wind up losing everything I have, you're the one person in my life I can never live without." Sona said as she lovingly claimed his lips.

* * *

"They're quite the couple, don't you think?" Sirzechs asked as he joined his wife outside. "How did things go with Lord Phenex?"

"Despite the loss of the match, Lord Phenex seemed glad to be reunited with his father. Saffron will have to be hatched and raised from an infant, but the Phenex Clan is happy to be whole once more." Grayfia smiled, her eyes never leaving the silhouette of her son in the sky. "You need to have a discussion with your father. The Phenex Clan isn't the only family to be reunited with a lost loved one."

"Millicas… no, Ambrose. He not only defeated Riser, but he also managed to keep the peace between the both Clans." Sirzechs commented as he and his wife watched the griffin fly away. "Our son has turned into a fine young man."

"A fine man indeed." Grayfia tearfully replied as she rested her head against her husband's shoulder. "I can hardly wait for what's to come."


	21. Season 1, Chapter 13

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Sona awoke the next morning, draped over her equally naked lover as if she were his living blanket. She let out a sensual moan as she felt his fingers lightly trace up and down her spine.

"Good morning." Sona tiredly mumbled with a satisfied smile as she recalled last nights prolific activities.

"Good morning, my love." Ambrose replied with a smile of his own. "You were wonderful last night. And that thing you did with your wings so that you could rock back and forth was amazing."

Sona grinned in response and couldn't help but let out a delightful sigh at the memory. "Mmmm. How about an encore?"

Ambrose groaned in both pleasure and frustration as she began to pepper his skin with soft sensual kisses. "We can't… We have company and I need to be a good host to your peerage. I'm not sure if we have food for breakfast here… or even a kitchen for that matter."

" _Not sure if we have a kitchen?"_ Sona thought as she took a moment to observe her surroundings.

Her brow furrowed as she failed to recall any details about their new home, the only thing they both had paid attention to when they arrived last night was their passion for each other and locating the first available bedroom. She recalled that the griffin had landed in a courtyard and from there they had went upstairs to the first bedroom they could find, but other than that they both were too blinded by their lust to actually pay attention to their new home.

While still laying in bed with Sona on top of him, Ambrose looked around at the plush and luxurious room they were in. "I think this is the master bedroom."

"We can't be too sure." Sona commented as she sat up, straddling him. "Devils are known for their lavish excess, this could be just another guestroom."

"It seems we have to explore our new home in addition to preparing breakfast." Ambrose embarrassingly admitted, "I also think we both need to wash up and I have no idea where the bathroom is."

"Well then." Sona seductively smiled at her lover as she rocked herself on top of him. "I'm sure we could find a bathroom big enough for the both of us."

As it turned out, the bedroom that they had spent the night in did, in fact, have a lovely bathroom attached to it. After a lengthy bath, which left the couple feeling not only rejuvenated but allowed them the opportunity to sate their lust for one another once more, the pair looked out the window to get a better idea of where they were and the home they now owned.

"A palace?" Ambrose said in wonder as he looked across the scenery. "We own an actually palace?"

To say that their new property was idyllic would be an understatement. It was a large three story palace, built in the Neo-Renaissance style of the late 19th century; which suited Ambrose's taste just fine. In front of the palace gates was the large snowy mountains of Mount Ose where rivers made from the melting snow would run down through the lush forests, and supply the crystal blue water for the Lake Seere. The rear of the palace held a parterre with rich colored flowers and a set of stone stairs which lead to the lake docks. All in all, the breath taking scene was straight out of a fairy tale and both Sona and Ambrose couldn't help but marvel at the sight before them.

"This is the Underworld?" Ambrose asked in wonder as he gazed out at the land that was now theirs.

"Welcome home Am-chan." Sona said, smiling at her lover's awe.

"Welcome home, my love." Ambrose replied before they kissed once more.

* * *

Despite the initial surprise of finding out that they were now the owners of an actual palace, there was one benefit it provided; it allowed Sona to know approximately where they would find the dining hall and kitchen. The Sitri Clan owned a number of homes and they all held the same general lay out; while the dining hall would be somewhere near the main hall; the breakfast room would most likely be adjacent to the dinning hall, somewhere near the kitchens. From there, it was a simple matter of navigating down the stairs and then finding the central area where a large number of guests might gather.

It was after the couple accidentally found a large ballroom that they noticed the delightful scent of breakfast that wafted their way. Following their noses, they managed to find the dinning hall which lead them to the breakfast room where Sona found her peerage was already present, enjoying their morning meal.

They also discovered, to their surprise, that that had an additional guest.

"Ms. Grayfia?" Ambrose astonishingly asked.

"Good morning to you both." The maid and **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer greeted them with a bow.

"What a surprise to see you here." Sona couldn't help but say aloud, privately wondering just why the 'Strongest **[Queen]** ' would be here at all.

"Maō Lucifer has ordered that I see to your needs and provide you with whatever you require for tonight's celebration." Grayfia humbly replied to Sona's unasked question. "To that end, I have prepared breakfast for you all."

"Thank you." Sona said to the maid. _"Though I'm certain you're also here to ensure that we actually attend the party."_

"Yes… thank you Ms. Grayfia." Ambrose replied, looking a bit uncomfortable at being waited on. "Sorry you had to make breakfast for us. We didn't exactly plan on staying overnight in the Underworld, nor did we plan on attending a party."

"It will be my pleasure to see to it that you, Lady Sona, and her peerage are prepared for tonight's event. In the meantime, please enjoy your meal." Grayfia smiled at Ambrose, gesturing to the seat at the head of the table.

Ambrose held Sona's chair out for her before taking his own seat and was then served a plate of apple pancakes. With a quiet "Itadakimasu" the pair soon began to enjoy there meal.

As she took her first bite Sona marveled at the taste, _"Grayfia is certainly worthy of being the maid of_ _Maō_ _Lucifer. Still, I never understood why she was content to be just a maid. She's rumored to be quite skillful on the battlefield and she is his wife… Why not accept the title of the wife of_ _Maō_ _Lucifer?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted when Grayfia suddenly spoke up, looking at Ambrose with worry. "Is there something wrong with the meal?" She asked with concern lacing her tone.

Curiously, Sona looked to her fiance to see him slowly chewing his food while giving his pancakes the strangest look. He looked as if he didn't quite know what he was eating or what to think about the pancakes in front of him.

"No… It's just…" Ambrose trailed off after he swallowed his bite. "What kind of apples are these? I've never tasted anything like them before."

Wondering what her fiance was talking about, Sona stole an apple slice from his plate before slowly chewing it. _"It doesn't taste different from the apple_ _s_ _on my plate..."_ She thought before the answer dawned on her. "It's a bapple."

"A what?" Ambrose asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"A bapple." Sona explained to her fiance, "A specific breed of apple that is grown in the Bael Territory, here in the Underworld. They're quite famous for it."

"Do you like it?" Grayfia asked, almost concerned at Ambrose's reaction.

"Actually, I love it. It really is quite delicious, Ms. Grayfia." Ambrose said, smiling at the maid of Maō Lucifer before giving his breakfast another look. "I honestly can't recall ever eating an apple so tasty."

Grayfia smiled back, almost looking a bit relieved to hear his answer as she watched him eat.

"If we're going to attend tonight's party, we should probably go shopping for dresses." Tsubaki commented aloud, causing all of the girls of the Sitri peerage to excitedly make plans for their outing.

" _Oh no."_ Sona thought, internally cringing where this conversation would inevitably head to.

"I suppose I'll have to find a bank here in the Underworld." Ambrose commented after wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"I'm afraid you might be out of luck when it comes to that." Sona apprehensively admitted. "There aren't really banks in the Underworld, per se; at least not ones which transfer funds with the human realm. The Pillars maintain and look after their own financial interests."

"Surely some form of banking exists." Ambrose replied, genuinely confused how such a thing had come to pass. "Not every devil is a member of the founding families; they would need loans, wouldn't they?"

"There is a banking alliance that lends money for interest that the common denizens of the Underworld use." Sona explained to her fiance. "It was originally founded by 14 of the riches Pillars; however, today only 7 of those families still exist."

"Is the Sitri Clan one of those families?" Ruruko, Sona's **[Pawn]** asked.

"No, the Sitri Clan is currently involved with the Underworld's medicinal needs." Sona replied, skirting around the whole 'Information Brokering' aspect of her family's fortune.

"Currently the banking alliance is maintained by the Vassago, Barbatos, Paimon, Purson, Astaroth, and Gremory Clans." Grayfia informed the group. "The Seere Clan was once a member, regretfully they are now extinct."

"The Maōs aren't involved with the nation's finances and interest rates?" Ambrose asked in confusion.

"The Maōs only collect taxes." Grayfia explained. "After the reformation of devil society, following the civil war, it was deemed that the Maōs would have too much power if they directly controlled the economy."

Ambrose suddenly smiled, as if he had figured some sort of secret out. Seeing Sona's confused look, he then explained what he found so fascinating. "It occurs to me that since devils gain power through contracts, every individual transaction could be seen as a contract. That would include taxes as well."

Sona's eyes grew wide as she suddenly realized the implications.

"You mean, the Maōs are gaining power whenever someone spends money in the Underworld?" Tomoe asked in disbelief, her mind boggling at the number of contracts that would produce daily.

"That is correct." Grayfia replied, giving Ambrose an appraising look. "Although this fact is not a state secret, most people are unaware simply because they haven't made the connection."

"I imagine that the Banking Alliance gains power through loans as well." Ambrose pointed out. "What about normal contracts that devils do? It's likely that some of the humans would wish for money. Devils have to have some business interests on Earth. They'd need to transfer funds back and forth. There has to be a way to withdraw some of my own funds somehow."

"The Pillars have been doing business in the human realm for centuries, using gold, jewels, or the money they've earned through contracts and then depositing it in human banks." Sona replied, following his line of thought to answer his unasked question. "The two economies are completely separate. Currently there is no way to transfer any funds between the two realms."

Sona watched helplessly as Ambrose's eyes grew wide and the gravity of their current situation began to set it.

"That's not good..." Ambrose stated with worry. "We're currently have no funds available while we're in the Underworld."

"No big deal." Saji dismissively replied, unaware of the implications. "Sona's family is rich so we can still get what we need for tonight's party."

" _Here we go."_ Sona thought, bracing herself while silently cursing Saji in her head. "That isn't exactly possible. You see, I've unofficially ran away from the Sitri Clan."

Sona's entire peerage held looks of wide eyed disbelief, all except Ambrose and Tsubaki who were the only ones who were previously aware of her current situation.

"Kaichō… ran away…?" Momo asked with a confused look on her face, no doubt trying to reconcile the concept of Sona doing anything that would seem rebellious.

"Yes." Sona embarrassingly admitted, "Suffice to say, the Lady Sitri didn't approve of Ambrose or I meddling in the affairs of the Gremory and Phenex Clans. She demanded that I break my engagement and my pact with Ambrose; I refused. Nevertheless, despite the fact that Rias won and we, as a peerage, are better off because of it, my current status as heiress apparent is up in the air at the moment and thus the funds of the Sitri Clan are unavailable."

"Couldn't you ask Maō Leviathan for help?" Tsubaki asked, hoping to find an easy solution to their current problems.

"I'd rather not get my sister involved." Sona quickly explained with as much dignity as she could muster. "This situation is my own fault, and I'd like to avoid bothering her with my problems."

It was at this point that Grayfia cleared her throat and addressed the occupants of the table. "As I said earlier, Maō Lucifer has ordered me to see to your needs and what ever you might require for tonight's celebration. It will be our pleasure to provide you with the appropriate attire for tonight's festivities."

"Would you be so kind as to send me the bill?" Ambrose asked the maid, clearly uncomfortable at the thought of being dependent on anyone's generosity or charity. "I had promised Sona that I would take care of the needs of her and her peerage, and I don't want to fail in the promise; especially since I only made it yesterday. I'll be able to repay Maō Lucifer once I have access to my funds back in the human realm and I'll make arrangements to ensure that this doesn't happen again."

"That won't be necessary." Grayfia firmly insisted. "As I said, we would be more than happy to see to your needs."

"I'm really not comfortable accepting charity." Ambrose began to explain.

"Then please consider it a gift." Grayfia insistently retorted.

Ambrose had opened his mouth, no doubt to argue back but Sona interrupted his protests before it began. "Thank you, Grayfia-san."

Sona gave Ambrose a look, which effectively ended any potential argument for the moment. She knew that her fiance was fiercely independent and took a great deal in pride in the fact that he managed to provide for himself so well, despite his youth. That pride now extended not only to Sona, but her peerage as well.

" _It probably aggravates him to have to rely on someone so soon after promising to take care of all of us."_ Sona privately thought.

Knowing her lover the way she did, she had no doubt that Ambrose could raise the money they'd need for tonight's activities; however, she also knew that they were currently pressed for time.

" _Whether or not Maō Lucifer will accept Am-chan's offer to repay him can be settled later."_ Sona reasoned, wanting to maintain some sort of propriety. _"It's inappropriate to argue about money, especially in front of others."_

"If you all have finished with your breakfast then I shall escort you all to the City of Lilith, once I've finished with the dishes." Grayfia offered.

Ambrose unexpectedly snapped his fingers, magically cleaning and stacking the dishes on the table.

" _Honestly Am-chan."_ Sona thought in bemusement as she rolled her eyes, recognizing this subtle power play for control over the situation. _"You're going to have to grow comfortable with the idea of accepting help, sooner or later. We can't maintain such a large estate on our own."_

"Thank you, sir." Grayfia replied, appearing more amused than anything. "If you would gather your things, I'll make the arrangements for our transportation and meet you at the front gate."

While Sona's peerage had brought very few personal items with them, they all, nonetheless, wanted to freshen up so that they could be presentable when they went shopping. Although she and Ambrose had already made themselves fit to be seen, she still found herself being escorted back to the room they had previously spent the night in.

"I know you're not happy with Grayfia funding our outing, and I'd really like to avoid an argument. Especially after the wonderful night we just shared." She delicately began as soon as they were alone, hoping she could stave off an altercation, "Honestly Am-chan, we don't have the funds and I doubt even you could raise what we need in such short notice. Ms. Grayfia is offering to help and we don't have another option at the moment. Besides, I don't like arguing about money in front of others, it's tawdry."

"Just… save the receipts so I can pay it all back. I don't like being indebted to anyone, especially to a Maō." Ambrose said with a frown.

"With any Maō or is your problem about this specific Maō? You never acted this way when it came to my sister." Sona queried, wanting to broach this sensitive topic as carefully as possible.

"I've never borrowed anything from your sister, besides I trust her motivations." Ambrose explained, avoiding the main subject she wished to address. "Her sole goal has always been ensuring your safety."

"We don't even know Maō Lucifer's motivations. Perhaps it's something else about Maō Lucifer that bothers you?" She continued to press.

They hadn't had the time to really discuss Ambrose's realization that he and Maō Lucifer shared the same visage. Judging by the sour expression on his face, she was right not to ask directly.

"You won't even entertain the possibility?" Sona asked, raising an eyebrow. "There could be benefits if it turned out to be true."

"Like what?" Ambrose broodingly asked.

"Reuniting with your lost family, for one." Sona said, stating the most obvious answer. Truthfully, she was a bit shocked he hadn't come to that conclusion on his own.

"Sona, my love, every orphan dreams of being reunited with their family. They hope that one day they find out their abandonment and isolation was all a big mistake. Sooner or later, they all have to put those childish dreams aside and face the real world." Ambrose pragmatically explained to her. "I laid those childish dreams to rest a long, _long_ time ago. Instead, I choose to focus on the family we'll have together, rather than the family I never knew."

"You've seen Maō Lucifer. You have to admit, it's at least possible." Sona pressed on.

"It's not possible." Ambrose stubbornly maintained, "I have **[S** **acred** **G** **ear** **]** , I wield holy power; a pure blooded devil can't have either. I'm already worried enough about the Maōs reaction to the holy power that I have. Unless you can provide a suitable explanation as to how and why I could be a pure blooded devil while wielding holy power and **[S** **acred** **G** **ear** **]** , then I'll entertain the possibility. Until then, it's mere conjecture."

She frowned, knowing that she wouldn't get any further headway in this conversation. Truthfully, she held her own doubts, though they tended to change back and forth. She couldn't help but see him as her fiance, the man she loved more than anyone; other times she would watch him when he wasn't looking and be struck by how similar he looked to Maō Lucifer.

" _I just want answers, Am-chan. Why don't you want them too?"_ She couldn't help but wonder to herself.

"Excuse me." Grayfia called out from the bedroom door, startling the couple. "Our transportation has arrived, and Lady Sona's peerage is currently waiting in the courtyard."

"Thank you, Ms. Grayfia." Ambrose said, offering his arm to Sona as Grayfia lead them to the courtyard.

" _I wonder how much you overheard."_ Sona thought as she looked at the **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer. _"Is all of this simply out of gratitude for what Am-chan did for Rias, or do you believe he's your son?"_

Unfortunately, no one but her seemed interested in the answers.

* * *

After a short trip to the city of Lilith, the capital of the Underworld, the party was then split into two groups. Sona, along with her peerage left for a famous boutique which would cater to their needs for tonight's events. Meanwhile, Grayfia was currently escorting her son and Sona's **[Pawn]** , Genshiro Saji, to a tailor which catered to men's apparel.

Despite Grayfia's serious and stoic nature, she was currently finding it difficult to keep herself from smiling. At long last, she was with her son. Of course, it was far from perfect. Judging from the private conversation she had overheard, her son held some reservations in regards to this relations with the Gremory Clan. Her heart broke with guilt when he had spoken of his abandonment, and it took all she had not to rush in the room to assuage his doubts. His concerns were valid and he was right to question his origin; she and her husband held many of those answers, but not all of them. They had only theories when it came to the holy power that he was rumored to have. Still, they only needed a few more pieces of the puzzle before everything would be laid bare, and it was then she would find out if her family would be fully reunited at long last.

" _Soon, my son."_ Grayfia promised herself, _"Very soon, we both will have all our answers. I can only hope you'll forgive your father and I, and we can be a family once more."_

Grayfia gently shook her head, trying to banish her fear that her son might reject her and her husband for their past actions. For now, she simply consoled herself by enjoying this treasured moment of shopping with her son.

"So, Saji, we haven't really had much time to talk." Ambrose casually said as Grayfia lead them to their destination.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about." Saji curtly replied as his eyes narrowed in frustration.

"I don't know, I thought we could get along and try to be friends." Ambrose offhandedly mentioned as he continued to look at the shops they passed, unaware of Saji's growing temper. "Currently you're the only male in Sona's peerage, and since she and I have a pact we could at least get to know each other."

"I'm not really interested in getting to know you." Saji replied with a glare.

"Excuse me?" Ambrose asked, turning to look at the **[Pawn]** while raising an eyebrow in disbelief at what he said. "And what exactly is your problem with me?"

"I don't have a problem with you, you **are** my problem." Saji heatedly answered. "You've brought nothing but trouble ever since you sauntered into Kaichō's life and forced this engagement on her."

"I didn't force this engagement on her, quite the opposite in fact." Ambrose clarified. "I had no idea that defeating her in chess would result in our engagement."

"You don't seem too broken up about it." Saji jealously pointed out.

"Why would I? Sona's a wonderful girl, any guy would be lucky to find himself engaged to her." Ambrose explained.

Saji stubbornly turned his head and began to pay attention to anything and anyone but the alchemist.

"Oh, I see." Ambrose said in realization.

"Shut up!" Saji whirled around and yelled at him, drawing attention from the nearby devils. "Don't you dare mock me."

"I wasn't mocking you, I just said 'I see'." Ambrose said, surprised that the **[Pawn]** was so angry.

"Ever since you showed up it's been one problem after another." Saji continued to rant, unaware or unconcerned that he was drawing attention from curious pedestrians. "First the Fallen Angels, then this mess with the Gremory Clan. I hope you're happy that your little stunt got Kaichō kicked out of her Clan."

Grayfia frowned, not only were they beginning to air out private Clan business, but they were also causing a scene.

"For your information, it was Sona's idea that I get involved with Gremory's engagement problems. I wanted nothing to do with the entire mess; in fact I strongly argued against helping her, multiple times." Ambrose explained, defending his actions.

"Well aren't you Mr. Perfect. If you were so against it, then why did you help Gremory at all?" Saji argued back.

"Because that's what couple's do." Ambrose sharply replied, "I told her my reasons for not wanting to help, but in the end a couple has to support each other; even if we think they're making a mistake. She and I both tried to minimize the repercussions, but neither of us predicted any of this would happen. Do you honestly think either of us would have helped Gremory if we knew this would be the result? In the end, leaving her Clan was Sona's choice and hers alone. The best, and only thing I can do right now is to continue to support her, which I've promised to do."

"That's some promise." Saji scornfully pointed out. "Here we are, flat broke, and dependent on the kindness of Maō Lucifer for help. Great job."

"It's not my fault that the banks of the Underworld don't exchange money with the human realm." Ambrose frustratingly replied, "We never planned on being here for an extended amount of time."

"Gentleman." Grayfia said, interrupting their argument. "If you please, the shop is around the corner."

The two young men glared at each other for a moment before ignoring one another as they arrived at their destination.

" _Boys will be boys."_ Grayfia privately thought, _"Though at least their argument didn't devolve into a fight."_

The store bell gave a little jingle as the trio entered a suit and tailor shop, one which Grayfia knew her husband preferred. Although her husband was too busy to personally shop for himself, the store would send their private tailors to the castle so that Maō Lucifer could be outfitted in the latest fashion. Incidentally, this was not the same shop that Lord Gremory used, who preferred more flashy and, in Grayfia's opinion, garish styles.

"Ms. Grayfia, welcome." A shop attendant greeted her with a respectful bow. "Will Maō Lucifer be requiring our services again? We can send someone immediately to attend to his needs."

"Not today, ma'am." Grayfia replied with a polite greeting of her own, "I'm here to ensure that these two young gentleman are properly attired for a small formal gathering this evening."

She gestured to the two boys, who were about as far away from each other as possible. Her son was busy inspecting the fabric selection while Saji was seemed to be interested in the leather accessories.

"Ma'am." The attendant suddenly spoke up, sounding a bit unsure. "Is that..?"

Grayfia looked a the young girl, who's wide eyes were currently focused on her son. "He is someone important to Maō Lucifer and currently an esteemed client of yours. I trust your store will continue it's utmost discretion and service."

"Of course." The clerk said, straightening up with pride, "We, as always, endeavor to provide the highest quality in clothing _and_ service."

With that, the boys were separated into private tailoring rooms while Grayfia, unwilling to part from her son, accompanied Ambrose. She quietly watched as the tailor took in his measurements, privately musing on how much he had grown since he was a child. With a subtle suggestion to the tailor, an outfit was soon selected for him. A white shirt, with a frill collar, gray vest with matching pants, and a long crimson and gold jacket; the colors of Clan Gremory. Privately, Grayfia had chosen this specific outfit as her son often wore something similar when he was younger.

Now however…

"I don't think this will do." Ambrose said with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" The tailor politely asked, "We can rush any alterations you may need..."

"I'm not a fan of wearing red." Ambrose replied, "It clashes with my hair."

" _Funny, considering that's your Clan's colors and one that your father favors."_ Grayfia thought, hoping that this wasn't some sort of omen.

"Do you make any suits in the fashion of the human realm?" Ambrose asked the tailor.

"Of course sir." The tailor replied as if it were obvious. "We are one of the finest tailors in all of the Underworld and are capable of creating any suit from the human realm in any style."

"Excellent." Ambrose said with a smile, "I'd like a bespoke evening tuxedo: peak lapels, two buttons on the jacket and four on the vest."

"Trousers?" The tailor asked.

"Tapered."

"While tuxedo jackets are made from wool, here in the Underworld we don't use sheep for wool." The tailor explained as he presented a sample fabric for Ambrose's inspection. "Here, we use the wool from a camphruch. It's an amphibious creature, so its wool is resistant to spills and stains. And like the wool from sheep, it is well insulated, breathable, and durable."

Ambrose lightly ran the fabric through his fingers and thumbs before giving a nod of approval.

"Very good, sir." The tailor said with a smile. "If I may, this is a preview of what your suit will look like when finished."

With a snap of his fingers the fitting jacket Amborse wore, along with the rest of his clothes, changed into a perfect representation of the suit he ordered. Grayfia watched in amusement as he turned around a bit so that he might see his reflection in the mirror. While looking at his reflection, he noticed that her attention was focused on him.

"Too 'human' for tonight's party?" Her son unexpectedly asked her.

Quite honestly, she thought he look rather stylish. Unable to resist the temptation, Grayfia slowly approached him, worried that he might find her proximity a bit too intrusive. As calmly as she could, she reached out to brush an imaginary bit of dust off his shoulder and then 'innocently' ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head as she adjusted his collar.

She hadn't touched her son in over a decade.

"You look quite handsome." Grayfia said, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice while simultaneously snipping off a few strands of his hair from the back of his head as stealthily as she could manage.

"Shall I send it to the palace as soon as it's finished?" The tailor asked, breaking the mood.

"That won't be necessary." Grayfia replied as she took a step back, "I'll return on my own later today in order to pick up both outfits."

"Please, send the bill my way." Ambrose suddenly said to her.

"As I said earlier, please consider this a gift." She insisted, wanting to at least do something for her son.

"I promised I'd take care of Sona and her peerage. While my funds are currently tied up in the human realm, I am by no means impoverished; quite the opposite in fact. I ask you, please don't make me break my promise to my fiance, especially when I only just made it yesterday."

Grayfia frowned in reply. While she was technically exceeding her mandate to ensure that both her son as well as Lady Sitri and her peerage attended tonight's party, both she and her husband were eager to dote on their long lost son. As much as she wanted to fawn over him, she was loathe to deny him this at the cost of his pride and a promise he made to someone he loved.

"As you wish." Grayfia regretfully replied, _"I suppose I'll have to find something else we can do for him."_

Unfortunately, this proved more difficult than she originally intended. She had hoped that she could use their outing as a chance to have lunch together, perhaps even build up a rapport. Saji, however, was still brooding over their earlier argument and his surly attitude would not only put everyone off of their lunch but also any conversation she might have with her son.

It was with a heavy heart, full of regrets, that the trio soon joined up with Lady Sona and her peerage before heading back to Seere Palace.

" _Soon, we can be a family once more."_ Grayfia thought as she patted the pocket that held her son's hair.

* * *

As it turned out, spending more time with her son proved easier than she thought. When the group returned to the Seere Palace, all of Lady Sona's peerage had went to their rooms while she provided a tour for her son and his fiance.

As she escorted them through the palace halls, she couldn't help but feel amused that her son wound up engaged to a devil, and a fellow peer as well. She had always liked Lady Sona. Even as a child she was serious, well behaved, and diligent in everything she did; often keeping Lady Rias's immaturity in check.

" _I wonder if Lady Sona remembers the time she spent with Millicas when they were children?"_ Grayfia wondered before dismissing the thought. _"Most likely not, they were both far too young."_

Grayfia took this as an opportunity to see how well the two interacted. It was clear they both loved each other, but judging by the small argument she had over heard they still had a few kinks to work out in order to be completely cohesive. Despite their private disagreement, they publicly presented a united front, moving as one once a decision had been made. While she did approve of her son's choice, or lack their of given the nature of the infamous chess match condition that Lady Sitri set, she knew that she never really had any say in who her son was going to marry.

" _That matter is decided by Lord Gremory, although I doubt he'll protest against my son's engagement with Lady Sona. However, I don't know if Lord Gremory will add an additional fiance to their home. I can only hope he's more tactful than he was with Lady Rias's engagement."_ Grayfia privately thought before setting that uncomfortable issue aside.

Grayfia continued her tour of Seere palace and her son's new home, making a note to educate them on the estate's previous owners as they passed their portraits. As it turned out, Lord Zeoticus Gremory's mother was a member of Clan Seere and thus, he inherited this territory when the Seere Clan died off after the last great celestial war between the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils. She tried to hide her amusement that her son was currently walking through these halls, unaware that it was the home of his great grandmother.

While they had dined in the breakfast room, Grayfia made sure to show them both the dinning hall, ballroom, office, and lounge. Lady Sona was, of course, enraptured with the two story library, though her son soon asked a question which put a damper on his fiance's mood.

"I assume we'll have to make arrangements for the Gremory Clan to retrieve their belongings." Ambrose logistically pointed out as he looked around the library.

" _Doubtful."_ Grayfia privately thought. _"It isn't as if your grandfather would want you to live in an unfurnished building, nor would he want the palace altered from its original state."_

"I'm certain we can discuss that at a later date." She replied to her son, deftly avoiding the issue for now.

"Where's the ward stone?" Her son unexpectedly asked.

"Bellow us, past the wine cellar." Grayfia immediately answered.

"Wine cellar?" Both Sona and her son asked in unison, although her son seemed more interested in that room than she would have liked.

" _Perhaps some items **should** be removed from the palace."_ She privately mused. _"I certainly hope you haven't inherited my low tolerance for alcohol."_

"You're interested in wine?" Grayfia couldn't help but ask her son.

"Oh yes, I've been crafting wine for a while now." He cheerfully explained with a pleasant tone, "I hope to eventually turn the grounds into a winery."

Grayfia couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that remark, though when giving it a second thought she shouldn't be too surprised. Alchemy and alcohol making often went hand in hand.

After they traveled through the kitchen and down the stairs, Grayfia gave the a brief tour of the wine cellar before showing them the secret room where the current ward stone was housed.

"Please remember that you can't take ownership of the wards until you're granted the key to the ward stone, which will be presented at tonight's affair along with the deed to the property." She pointed out. "If that will be all, I shall prepare you all a late lunch."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to help out." Ambrose unexpectedly asked, though Lady Sona didn't seem to be surprised at all.

Rather than object, Grayfia had to keep herself from agreeing too eagerly. "I would welcome your assistance."

Her son smiled at her, and her heart melted at the sight.

Soon, she found herself alone with her son in the kitchen as they prepared a simple yet filling meal for Lady Sona and her peerage. The motions of meal preparation came second nature to her, so she spent much of her time watching her son.

"You seem quite comfortable in a kitchen." Grayfia couldn't help but remark, wondering if her son had eaten well during his time away from her. "Do you prepare a lot of meals?"

"I mostly cook for myself, though lately I'll make a bento for Sona for our school lunch." Ambrose absently said as he prepared the ingredients _'_ _m_ _ise_ _e_ _n_ _p_ _lace'_. "I had to learn how to cook at a young age."

"Oh?" Grayfia asked, probing for more answers to her son's past.

"My mentor in alchemy, Gargamel, often made me cook after I complained that his skills were subpar. He would often yell at me, saying that my taste in food surpassed my own culinary skills; so I made an effort to improve, if only to shut him up."

"Did your mentor yell at you a lot?" Grayfia worriedly asked, concerned about her son's upbringing.

"Well, he was practically deaf, so yes." Ambrose replied in amusement.

"So, your mentor raised you?" She continued to probe for more answers as she heated the skillet.

"Partially." He casually replied. "Before that there was the orphanage; I would often help the nuns cook dinner there as well."

"The church raised you?" She couldn't help but exclaim in alarm.

Surprised by her sudden outburst, Ambrose placatingly responded. "Don't worry, I'm not affiliated with the church. I only stayed with them for a few months before running away. We didn't part amicably."

Grayfia heart skipped a beat as she desperately tried to keep her fear in check. There had been some extenuating evidence which suggested that at one point, soon after his kidnapping, custody of their son had briefly passed to the church; Heaven had vehemently denied it. The Angels claimed that if they did have him, then rouge members of the church were responsible. Sirzechs had believed Heaven at their word; however, Grayfia was not always so sure. She didn't want to even consider the possibility that her son might have been indoctrinated by them.

" _While Heaven and the church may be affiliated with one other, they're two completely separate entities; each governs themselves."_ Grayfia privately thought. _"And the church is also full of their own rouges who operate outside of the Heaven's mandate. One day I'll find out who took my son from me and there will be a reckoning."_

"What's that you're making?" Ambrose asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Oh, it's seafood curry on rice. One of Maō Lucifer's favorites." Grayfia explained, shaking her dark thoughts of vengeance away and offering him a piece of fish. "Here, try a bite."

"Wow, that is delicious." Ambrose replied, causing Grayfia's heart to glow. "What kind of fish is that?"

"A devil catfish, a large freshwater fish found here in the Underworld. You may be able to find them in Lake Seere." Grayfia answered with a smile.

"I'll have to see if I can catch one, if I ever find the time to fish again." Ambrose remarked with a smile that was so similar to his father's. "Think you could give me the recipe so I could make this on my own?"

"I would be happy to provide you with the recipe; however, you should give serious thought into acquiring a few servants of your own." Grayfia pointed out, thinking of her son's future. "It will be difficult to maintain such a large estate on your own."

"Is this your way of asking if I'm hiring?" Her son asked with a teasing smile.

"Now there's an interesting thought." Grayfia couldn't help but reply in amusement, finding the idea of spending more time with her son rather appealing.

"I don't think Maō Lucifer would appreciate it if I spirited you away from him." Ambrose said with a laugh, "Though to be honest, I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of hiring a maid."

"Why not?" She asked her son, curious as to why he had shown such reluctance to accept her assistance earlier.

"I don't know… Something about maids… The idea has always made me sad." Her son replied, looking a bit melancholy. "It's suppose to be a job, but you wind up giving so much of yourself at the cost of your own personal life..."

Grayfia's heart stopped; she understood his concern perfectly. It was something he always had trouble with as a child, making the distinction between the time when she was 'on the job' and when she was his mother. He would often call her mother while she was working and every time she would scold him, saying that he should call her 'Ms. Grayfia' while she was working.

" _What I wouldn't give to hear him to call me mother once more."_ Grayfia sadly thought, recalling all the time she had lost with her son.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Ambrose hastily apologized after seeing her somber look.

"It's fine." Grayfia replied trying to hold back her tears. "I'd imagine that practicing medicine through alchemy requires you to give a lot of yourself as well."

"True, but it's about give and take." Ambrose explained. "Equivalent exchange and all that. I give of myself, but I receive something in return. What about you, what do you receive in return Ms. Grayfia?"

"I'm afraid that's a story for another time." She replied to her son, wanting to explain her past properly and in the correct context. _"Something that can only be done once you've been officially recognized as my child."_

"In the meantime, you had best call the others for their meal, and afterwards I'd imagine that you should prepare for this evening's event." Grayfia helpfully suggested.

"Right, I'll let them know that our late lunch is ready." Ambrose said, heading towards the kitchen door before pausing and looking back at her. "Thanks for all your help today. It was nice getting to know you."

"Indeed, I hope we can find the time to chat again, some time very soon." Grayfia sincerely replied, thankful to have had this precious moment with her son and hopefully a real chance to reunite as a family once more.

* * *

After their meal, the girls had all gathered to put on their makeup and their formal gowns for tonight's event. While Sona enjoyed this personal time with her peerage, with out the responsibility of being **[King]** , she sorely wished she wasn't the only one who was in a relationship.

"So Kaichō, now that we all know you 'Am-chan' have done the horizontal limbo, tell us what it's like." Her **[Pawn]** , Ruruko suddenly spoke up.

Immediately her entire peerage looked at her in interest.

"What makes you think we've done _**that**_?" Sona asked, trying to avoid answering the question.

"See? She's not denying it." Tomoe, who was always fishing for gossip, pointed out.

"Besides, both of you forgot to put up silencing spells." Reya said with a teasing grin.

Sona's face burned and she had no doubt she was as red as a bapple at this point. "I'm not saying anything."

"Your face says all we need to know." Her **[Rook]** , Tsubasa, replied looking a bit lecherous. "It's not as if we blame you. He looked pretty damn sexy when he came off the battlefield, all scuffed up and dirty like that. I'm tempted to take a piece of him for myself"

"Excuse me?" Sona said, jealously narrowing her eyes. "Just what exactly are you implying?"

"Hey now, no need to to break out your claws." Tsubasa reflexively put her hands up in mock surrender. "I guess that means you're not willing to share him."

"Of course not." Sona declared, noting that both Tsubasa and Reya looked a bit disappointed at that announcement.

"Really? Why not? I thought devils were okay with harems." Reya asked in both disbelief and regret. "Judging by the sounds last night he might be a bit too much for one girl to handle."

"He's not a devil and I can handle him just fine, thank you very much." Sona replied, defiantly crossing her arms. _"This is one instance where I hope he isn't a devil."_

"That doesn't mean someone else can't turn him into a devil." Her **[Queen]** , Tsubaki unhelpfully brought up. "Lady Rias could still try to turn him in the future."

"That's not going to happen." Sona strongly insisted. "Don't tell me you're interested in my fiance as well."

"Well… He is rather manly..." Tsubaki offhandedly remarked with a light blush.

" _Et tu, Tsubaki?"_ Sona thought as her eyes going wide.

"Mmm, he sure is." Tsubasa remarked, her eyes glazing over at the memory.

"No need to ask what you think about him, Reya." Sona said as she saw her **[Bishop]** squirm in her seat. "Anyone else?"

"Too old for me." Tomoe casually remarked. "I've already got my eye on someone special."

"Shouta lover." Tsubasa said to Tomoe, teasing the **[Knight]**.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Tomoe shot back, sticking her tongue out.

"No need to worry about me, Kaichō." Momo remarked with rosey cheeks. "I hope tonight's the night I finally catch Saji-kun's eye."

"Hey." Reya protested. "I thought we agreed to share him."

"You both have to get his attention, first." Tsubasa carelessly remarked.

"Both of you are going to share Saji?" Sona couldn't help but ask aloud. _"I knew they both had a crush on my **[Pawn]** , but for two girls, who were once human, to reach such an accord..."_

"Sure, why not?" Momo answered, as if it were no big deal. "We're all friends, and we would rather share him than let someone else take him away from us. Wouldn't you do the same if it prevented Lady Rias from turning him into a devil?"

" _Would I do such a thing?"_ Sona asked herself, finding no answer. "It doesn't matter. Am-chan is quite satisfied with me and there's no way I'm going to let someone else take him away."

"So…" Reya said in a teasing tone, "Now that you've admitted to _'doing it'_ , what's it like?"

"Maō..." Sona groaned in frustration.

* * *

After fending off the pressing questions from her servants, Sona and the rest of her peerage were finally ready for tonight's event. Quite honestly, the interrogation left her feeling both exasperated and irritated. It was also one of those instances where Sona sincerely hoped her fiance was not, in fact, a Gremory who were famed for having obscenely large harems.

She waited in the foyer with the rest of her peerage, wearing a modest blue dress with thin straps that went over her shoulders and a light blue shawl which wrapped around her shoulders and was tied in a bow to hide her small breasts. Truthfully, she had been rather frugal when it came to selecting this evening's attire, given the current state of their funds; however, she did allow herself the luxury of a small choker which seemed to currently be in style in the Underworld.

"Every time I see you, you are more and more beautiful." She suddenly heard her fiance call out.

Sona attention was drawn to the top of the stairs, where she saw her fiance descending and looking rather elegant in his tuxedo.

"You're rather handsome, yourself." Sona commented as she met him at the foot of the stairs.

They continued to stare at one another while everyone else soon faded away. Her hands reached for him as she smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in his jacket while his arms went around her waist. It took all of her willpower to resist kissing him senseless.

" _ **Ahem"**_ Saji broke the mood by falsely clearing his throat with a bitter look on his face.

Although she didn't appreciate the interruption, she understood the sentiment behind it. She wasn't going to lose all sense of propriety simply because she wanted to ravish her fiance. Nevertheless, she did find some forms of affection suitable to be seen in public, so she pressed herself close to his body by hugging his arm.

"It seems that everyone is looking their best tonight." Ambrose said, complimenting her peerage. "Ladies, you all look quite lovely."

The girls thanked him for the compliment, with Reya looking especially pleased. Sona also couldn't help but notice that her **[Queen]** 's cheeks were rather rosy at the compliment; however, Tsubaki still seemed to keep herself under control. Meanwhile, her **[Rook]** Tsubasa seemed to turn as red as a bapple.

"Do you really think so, Ambrose?" Reya asked in a flirtatious tone.

"That.. I mean, I don't usually wear clothes like this but thank you for the compliment." Tsubasa awkwardly stuttered.

" _No, no, no."_ Sona jealously thought. _"It's not going to happen girls, so give it up."_

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Grayfia called out, gathering the attention of the entire group. "If you all would gather around, I have our invitation to tonight's party which will transport us to the event location."

They all then assembled around the maid of Maō Lucifer before she activated the magic of the invitation which transported the entire group to the venue. With a flash of light they arrived in a posh yet comfortable waiting area, with couches for each of them to sit on until they were formally announced.

Grayfia broke off from the group and approached the door before turning to address everyone. "Please wait here for the Master of Ceremonies to announce you to our other guests. If you'll excuse me, I have other duties to attend to."

Curious as to where they were, Sona took a look out of the nearby window and was a bit surprised to find out that they had arrived at the Royal Castle in Lilith, the home of Maō Lucifer himself.

" _This could complicate things."_ Sona thought, mentally preparing herself for any eventuality.

"Everyone, I don't know if you're aware but we're currently in the castle of Maō Lucifer. I don't believe I have to remind you all to be on your best behavior." She said as she took a look around the room. "Keep in mind that when any devils gather in great numbers tempers can sometimes run a bit hot; you may be provoked into a fight. Please, refrain from embarrassing yourselves and me during tonight's festivities. With all that in mind, do remember to enjoy yourselves."

Having said her piece, Sona returned to her fiance's side and grew concerned at at the worry he now wore on his face.

"Something wrong?" She carefully asked so as not to be overheard.

"I'm a bit nervous, to be honest." Ambrose whispered to her. "Considering the source of my power, I think you would understand why."

She did, in fact, understand why he would be nervous; given that he was about to walk in a large gathering of devils when he, himself, was the inheritor of the Biblical God's power. Sona wished she could offer him some words of comfort, but truthfully she had none to give. Starting a fight, or fighting outright, would be in poor taste and it would be quite foolish for anyone to do so in front of a Maō. Having said that, there were always exceptions to any rule and should Maō Lucifer, or any Maō in fact, give their permission for a fight to happen then Sona would be powerless to stop it.

"Just continue to keep it under a tight rein." Sona advised her lover. "No one will allow any fighting to happen, so long as there's no reason behind it."

"I just have to make sure that no one has a reason." Ambrose said with a frown, knowing that people could find just about any reason to fight.

"An individual would have the permission of Maō Lucifer in order to challenge you to a fight." Sona said, trying to ease his worry.

"Need I remind you that I could be seen as a loose end." Ambrose commented, "Think about it; I break Rias from her engagement at the cost of a large piece of land which has sentimental value to Lord Gremory. Having me out of the way would see that the land goes back to them, and you're not exactly in a position to argue the point."

"Perhaps we should get married immediately, that way I can be sure to inherit everything should the worst happen." Sona teased with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Cleaver plan, you lovely devil." Ambrose quipped back with a grin. "Lucky for me, I have a death flower on me."

Their conversation was halted by the Master of Ceremonies, who began calling on her peerage one by one. Sona often found such practices a bit outdated, one only needed an usher at the door, however decorum states that every **[King]** must pay homage to their host in the name of their Clan and their peerage.

They passed the threshold and entered the ballroom chamber when the Master of Ceremonies called out, "Lady Sona of Clan Sitri, and her fiance Ambrose the Dragon Slayer."

" _At least, Lady Sona of Clan Sitri for now..."_ Sona sadly thought as she and Ambrose entered the ballroom. She quickly banished it from her mind and adopted the most sincere smile she could muster as she took a look around the room.

Normally, one could enter such an event without attracting too much attention; the large number of guests usually drowned out the Master of Ceremonies. This time was different. It wasn't as if there was anything special about her, or her fiance for that matter, but as they both entered the room Sona was struck at how vacant the area appeared and thus nearly every eye in the room fixated on both of them as they entered.

While there were a few people milling about the ballroom, they were sparsely scattered about in small clusters which made the chamber seem almost empty.

"Are we early, or is the attendance really bad for tonight's event?" Ambrose whispered to her while maintaining a smile as if everything was alright.

"We're not early." Sona said as she looked around the room as if nothing was wrong. "I think it might be something else."

"Anything I should be concerned about?" He anxiously asked her.

As they descended the steps into the gallery, Sona used the extra height to look at the other guests and came to a startling realization. _"This party, a party held by Maō Lucifer, is a complete failure."_

"There's no one here." Sona couldn't help but say aloud. "These guests, I don't know any of them. None of the other Pillars came to tonight's party."

"It was suppose to be an engagement party." Ambrose reminded her. "Isn't in bad taste to hold a celebration for breaking off an engagement?"

"That could be it." She replied to her fiance as they began to make their way through the crowd. "No one thought that Rias would actually win the match, the Rating Game was simply a formality in order to settle their dispute."

"And because of that, none of the other Pillars showed up so as not to show favoritism for one side or another." Ambrose concluded aloud, fully grasping the situation. "So who are all these people?"

"Middle class devils from the Gremory Territory, most likely people who do business with Lord and Lady Gremory. He's probably using this event to help foster his relations with the common people." Sona guessed as she carefully appraised the individuals that they passed. "There are no doubt members of Maō Lucifer's peerage in attendance, as well as Lord Gremory's peerage. That man there is Surtr the Second, Maō Lucifer's **[Rook]**. And see that gentleman over there? That's Agrippa, the vice-chief engineer of the Demonic Power Research Institute and the **[Bishop]** of Lord Gremory."

"That's strange." Ambrose said as he appraised the gentleman. "He doesn't look Roman."

Sona gave him an inquisitive look.

"That's not Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the Roman statesman and general who created the famed aqueducts and porticoes of Rome?" Ambrose asked in confusion.

"No, that's Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, the author of _'_ _De Occulta Philosophia libri III'_ , the three books of the Occult." Sona clarified, correcting her fiance in the hopes of avoiding a faux pas.

"Oh, how disappointing." Ambrose commented with a sad tone, "I would have liked to have met Marcus Agrippa, he always struck me as an interesting fellow."

"Come on, we should go and greeted our hosts." Sona suggested as she lead them to the largest gathering of people, where Maō Lucifer and the entire Gremory Clan were present.

Maō Lucifer was dressed in his full regalia and was seen quietly speaking with his father, Lord Gremory, who was wearing a white lounge suit with a number of buttons undone. Sona noted that their private conversation was brought to an abrupt end as soon as the couple approached them.

"There he is." Maō Lucifer excitedly proclaimed before she and her fiance could properly thank them for the invitation as decorum demanded. "The hero of the day."

Maō Sirzechs Lucifer then approached the couple, giving her fiance a friendly pat on the shoulder as if they were the best of friends. "We're so glad you could make it."

" _That's quite the familiar gesture, Maō Lucifer."_ Sona couldn't help but think as she watched the unusual scene before her. She quickly shook the thought away and remembered her manners before politely bowing to their hosts. "Maō Lucifer, Lord Gremory. On behalf of my peerage, my fiance, and I; we thank you for your gracious invitation."

"Thank you very much." Ambrose continued, giving a polite bow of his own.

"We'll have none of that formality tonight, Sona." Lord Gremory said as he approached them with a pleased smile. "We've known you since you were a child. You're practically family."

While she could honestly say she had always had a pleasant relationship with the Gremory Clan, she had never been addressed so familiarly by Lord Gremory and it sent alarm bells ringing ringing in her mind. She couldn't help but apprehensively squeeze her fiance's hand a bit.

"Nevertheless, I wish to apologize to you, Lord Gremory. If I've upset you by helping Lady Rias in her endeavor..." Sona began, admitting that she was technically in the wrong for having any part in ending the engagement.

"None of that, now" Lord Gremory interrupted, waving off her concerns. "Rias was never really keen on the engagement, and Lord Phenex is actually quite pleased with how everything turned out. We just have one issue to settle..." He trailed off as he approached Ambrose, giving him an appraising look before introducing himself. "Zeoticus Gremory; a pleasure to me you, my boy."

"Likewise, sir." Ambrose respectfully replied shaking the offered hand.

As Sona watched this byplay between the two men, she was struck with a sense of _déjà vu_ ; although this time it was because of the similarities between Lord Gremory and her fiance. _"_ _I wonder_ _if this is what_ _Am-chan would look like with a beard."_

"And this lovely woman is my wife, Lady Venelana Gremory." Zeoticus said, gesturing to the brunette woman who Rias took after.

"Hello, young man." Venelana kindly said as she looked at him with a touch of fondness. She gently offered her hand for him. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you."

"Charmed, Lady Gremory." Ambrose replied, grasping her hand up to her knuckles and bringing it to his lips, careful not to actually kiss her hand.

Sona watched with a bit of pride, glad that they had thought ahead to provide him with etiquette lessons.

"Such a handsome young man." Venelana commented aloud, causing both Sona and Ambrose to grow a bit uncomfortable, given that there were two other men present who wore similar visages.

"Ambrose, have you met my **[Bishop]** , MacGregor Mathers?" Sirzechs cheerfully asked as he ushered in a rather distinguished looking gentleman. His hair was long and slightly wavy, colored in a mixture of black and blonde; however, his most defining characteristic was his long slit like sharp eyes that seemed so alert they offset the shallow smile he gave off.

"I don't believe there is a magician alive who hasn't heard of MacGregor Mathers, founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn." Ambrose pleasantly said as he shook the famous **[Bishop]** 's hand. "Your translations of the _'Lesser Key of Solomon'_ was invaluable in preparing me for my foray into the Underworld."

"Oh, you've read my work." MacGregor delightfully said as his smile became even more creepy. "And I, of course, have heard of your famous concoction, capable of curing lycanthropy. It's such a shame we haven't met at any of the formal functions of the magical society. Tell me lad, have you read any of my other works?"

"I've been trying to track down an original print of your studies in Norse magic, it's one of the few areas of magic that I need to brush up on." Ambrose explained, unaffected by the man's eerie presence.

"Perhaps I can provide you with personal lessons sometime in the future." MacGregor suggestively offered, "I might even offer those lessons for free, if you'd wish to make a wager. I know you've met Rias and you're engaged to Lady Sona; tell me, have you met all of the new up and coming devil **[Kings]** known as 'The Four Rookies'?"

" _ **There will be no**_ _ **gambling**_ _ **.**_ " Grayfia ominously said, suddenly appearing behind MacGregor causing his normally narrow eyes to widen in alarm and his face to pale dramatically.

"Y-yes, of course." MacGregor stuttered in Grayfia's presence. "My mistake, Ms. Grayfia."

" _Thank you, Ms. Grayfia."_ Sona privately thought.

While she respected MacGregor for his magical knowledge and knew that anyone could benefit from his tutelage, Sona was always careful around him. Not only did he seem to give off a limitless creepy vibe, but his fame in magic in the human realm was overshadowed by his infamous reputation in the Underworld; that of a renown debtor who seemed to always gamble his money away. His illicit reputation was so well known that very few devils were willing to extend him credit since he often failed to repay his commitments.

" _I've even heard rumors that the sole reason he became a devil in the first place was because Maō Lucifer agreed to pay off his debts."_ Sona privately thought, vowing to warn her fiance of MagGregor's gambling addiction.

"Sona!" A familiar voice shouted out, causing her to turn and see her friend Rias rushing towards them, looking well dressed and more carefree than she had seen her in many months. "Sona, I'm so glad you came."

" _Not that we had a choice in the matter, considering that Am-chan's payment is contingent on our attendance and Ms. Grayfia practically chaperoned us until we arrived."_ Sona privately thought, though honestly she was glad to see her friend looking so relieved. "Thank you for inviting us."

"And don't you look handsome in your tuxedo." Rias commented to Ambrose in a playful tone.

"You look nice as well, Lady Rias." Ambrose replied, maintaining his polite and civil demeanor.

"I don't believe I gave you permission to get all formal with me." Rias excitedly said before she grabbed Ambrose's arm and began to drag him away. "Come on, everyone's gathered over here."

"Excuse us." Sona hastily said to their hosts as she continued to hold on to her fiance's other arm and preceded to be dragged along with them. _"What in hell has gotten into you, Rias?"_

"Look who I found, everyone." Rias cheerfully said as she all but dragged the pair to where her peerage and a few of Sona's own servants had congregated.

Sona raised an eyebrow as she noted that Hyoudou chose to completely forgo any formal attire for the evening and was dressed in his usual school clothes, a red T-shirt and unbutton uniform. Next to him was the ex-nun, Asia Argento who looked cute but a bit out of place in a lovely emerald green dress. Akeno was wearing a traditional black yukata adorned with a white and yellow obi, while Koneko wore a cute pink dress with matching gloves.

" _It seems Koneko isn't the only one who's wearing a dress tonight."_ Sona thought as she observed young Gaspar Vladi who was wearing a dark red dressed for tonight's event. To Sona's embarrassment, her **[Knight]** Tomoe had already found Gaspar-kun and was currently fawning over how adorable he looked.

"Oh, Ambrose. So glad you could make it." Kiba said with his signature smiled, looking rather dapper in his own tuxedo.

"Ara, Ambrose, you look quite suave." Akeno said, daintily covering her mouth to hide her smile. "Quite dashing indeed."

"You look nice as well, Himejima-san." Ambrose replied before asking, "Is that's a yukata that you're wearing?"

"Indeed it is." Akeno said with a teasing smile. "Guess what else I'm wearing."

"Ahem" Sona said, clearing her throat in an effort to keep the **[Queen]** 's claws off of her fiance. "I'd like to extend my sincere congratulations to everyone for your victory."

"Thank you for the compliment, but there's no need to be so considerate." Akeno said, forgoing her previous flirtatiousness and adopting a more respectful tone as she addressed Sona. "We all know who we really need to thank for our victory."

"Yes, I believe this calls for a toast." Rias suggested as an attendant brought a tray of champagne for them. They all took a glass and raised them into the air. "To you, Ambrose; my hero and savior. May we move beyond our past and look forward to our future."

" _Our future?"_ Sona privately thought as she took a sip from her glass. _"Here we are, having only just arrived at the party, and already I get the feeling that the Gremory Clan knows something we don't. If they know something then wish they would just come out with it rather than make us wait."_

"Am-kun, you were awesome in the fight." Gaspar said to his idol, "I watched the replay again and you were all like 'You're Finished!' as you blasted Riser Phenex away. 'Boom!'"

"Thanks, little man." Ambrose replied, ruffling the dhampire's hair.

"Oh, Gaspar-chan. You're so adorable." Tomoe cooed as she pressed the dhampire's head into her bosom, causing his protests to muffle.

"Lucky guy." Issei jealously grumbled at the sight.

"You want to be the guy in the dress?" Ambrose teasingly asked, causing Issei to stutter in shock and the entire group to chuckle a bit. "Still, in all seriousness it was a group effort. We all did our part and did it well. Especially you, Hyoudou. Congratulation on unlocking the true form of the **[Boosted Gear]**."

"Thanks." Issei embarrassingly replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Issei-san did very well. He managed to take out three **[Pawns]** and a rather powerful **[Bishop]**." Asia pointed out, praising her friend.

"We're all very proud of him." Rias said to Issei who seemed to glow at the praise of his **[King]**.

"Yes, well it was all thanks to my new technique, Dress Break." Issei proudly said, causing the girls around him to groan.

"Don't ever use that perverted attack ever again." Koneko all but demanded, "It's an insult to all women."

"What attack is that?" Ambrose asked, unaware of the development.

"It's a secret move I learned which blasts the clothes off of any girl I touch." Issei informed the alchemist. "I got the idea after the first lesson you gave me in magic, where I learned to peel an onion."

Ambrose suddenly rapped Hyoudou on the head, causing the **[Pawn]** to rub it in protest. "Don't lump me in with your perversions, you came up with that idea on your own." He said, scolding Hyoudou.

"Oww, you didn't have to knock my skull." Issei complained.

"You didn't have to strip three girls naked." Koneko argued back to her fellow peerage member. "They may be enemies, but they deserve respect."

"Here, here." Ambrose said to the group before dropping off his empty glass with a passing servant and taking Sona's hand. "Now, if you all will excuse us, I believe I owe this lovely lady a dance."

* * *

Grayfia's eyes were glued to her son, watching every moment and memorizing every detail of his mannerisms as he led Lady Sona out to the dance floor.

"They certainly make a lovely couple." Venelana commented to her as they both observed the pair dance.

"You wouldn't know it, but they're under a great deal of stress at the moment." Grayfia replied, sparing Lady Gremory a glance before focusing on her son once more. "It appears as if Lady Sona has been all but disinherited from the Sitri Clan for her involvement in ending Rias's engagement."

"No." Venelana's her hand covered her mouth in shock. "Empusa did that? She never said anything about it to me."

"Why would she?" Zeoticus asked, seemingly unconcerned with the news. "The Clans aren't suppose to involve themselves in each other's business."

"I may have been somewhat responsible for what happened to her." Venelana shamefully admitted, "When I heard that Sona had lent out her magician to help Rias, I immediately contacted Em-chan to see why they were getting involved and why they wanted the Seere Estate as payment; especially considering that the Sitri territory is over ten times the size of our lands."

"Since it was my son, who's engaged to Sona, that helped Rias, then I'd say that that makes it our business." Sirzechs casually mentioned to his mother, giving her a significant look.

"You're right, I should definitely have a talk with Lady Sitri." Venelana vowed aloud, promising to clear up this misunderstanding. After taking a moment to quietly watch her long lost grandson she turned to Grayfia. "You must have had a wonderful day today, spending all that time with him."

"Spending the day with him was a dream come true." Grayfia admitted to her mother-in-law before conspicuously admitting, "I made him bapple pancakes this morning."

Venelana covered her mouth and cooed, "Aww, how sweet."

"Why? What's so special about that?" Zeoticus asked in confusion.

"Don't you remember, Zeoticus? Millicas loved bapples as a child." Venelana reminded her husband. "They were his favorite."

"What I'd like to know is how he got so good at the Power of Destruction, despite the fact that he's received no training in the Underworld." Zeoticus wondered aloud. "It's obviously wasn't his first time using it."

"Perhaps he's been gaining power a different way." Venelana suggested to her husband. At his confused look, she elaborated further. "Remember my dear, devils gain power through contracts and our grandson seems to be quite the entrepreneur. Every potion he sells, every transaction he makes could be seen as a contract; he's most likely gaining power that way."

"While that may account for some of his power, it doesn't explain the potency nor his proficiency with wielding the Power of Destruction." Zeoticus explained to his wife, "He uses it more expertly than Rias-chan, who inherited it directly from you and the Bael Clan. That takes practice, someone had to have trained him, someone knew he was alive and neglected to tell us."

"It's just another one of the mysteries surrounding my son's disappearance and this unexplained holy power he's rumored to wield." Sirzechs said to his family, frowning at the unknown implications. He then turned to his wife, "Did he display any such power in your presence?"

"No, the only time he performed magic was when he cleaned the dishes." Grayfia answered her husband.

"You let him do the dishes?" Zeoticus asked the maid in shock.

"He did them on his own, in a show of defiance in order to prove he didn't need my help." Grayfia replied, defending her son's actions. "He's quite independent. He's also worried about our reaction to his holy power and seemed a bit suspicious about our motivations towards him."

"How can he have holy power if he's obviously Millicas?" Venelana asked as she watched her grandson and Sona continue their graceful dance.

"We're still gathering evidence." Sirzechs explained, trying to placate his mother. A servant then came to him and offered him the empty glass that Ambrose had previously used. Taking a moment to inspect it, he nodded in approval before handing it back to the servant who then parted with a bow. "We just need one more thing..."

"I've already acquired the last piece of evidence that we need." Grayfia told her husband, unwilling to let this uncertainty with her son last any longer than it had to. "While we were out today, I was able to obtain a small sample of his hair. I've already sent it out to be tested and the results will be available tomorrow morning."

"Excellent work, my dear." Sirzechs said, praising his wife. "Then tomorrow we'll make the official announcement and embrace 'Ambrose' as our son once more."

They all smiled in satisfaction as they watched the couple's dance conclude, where the pair then gave each other a respectful bow. Sona's **[Queen]** , Tsubaki, soon came up and whispered a few rushed words to her which had the **[King]** briskly walk away to attend to some urgent business.

"It seems there might be something wrong." Venelana worriedly commented as she observed the scene play out.

"Oh dear, it appears my son has to face his first challenger for Sona's affection." Sirzechs said with an amused smile. "Let's see how well he handles it."

* * *

As their waltz ended, Sona and Ambrose gave each other a customary bow, thanking one another for the experience. Truthfully, it was all part of the motions of the dance they had just finished, but Sona found the tradition quite satisfying. The smile she wore was soon replaced with worry when Tsubaki apprehensively approached them.

"Saji's drunk." The **[Queen]** simply said. "He's not causing a scene yet, but he's currently hiding under a table and mumbling to himself."

"I suppose being a depressed drunk is better than being an angry one." Sona commented aloud, feeling a bit exasperated by the situation before turning towards her fiance. "I have to go and handle this. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting. Go be **[King]**." Ambrose encouragingly replied, unaware that he was currently being secretly observed.

" _Now's my chance."_ Serafall Leviathan said to herself as she watched her beloved So-tan leave in order to tend to her **[Pawn]**. She wasn't planning on hurting the alchemist, _"Sirzechs-chan would be so mad if I attacked his lost son. However that doesn't mean I can't scare him so that he'll break things off with my sister."_

She approached her target as stealthily as she could manage, careful not to be noticed or seen until the time was right. It was important to catch him completely off guard and then probe him for a weakness. She had it all planned out, she would strike up a conversation acting as another unassuming individual, just another face in the crowd. When the time was right she would reveal that she was, in fact, Maō Leviathan and watch him fall over him self as he tried effortlessly to please her. From there, she would break his spirit and inform him that Sona was too good for him. " _With any luck, I'll have So-tan all to myself tonight and 'Long Lost Millicas' can be content with his family. Lord Gremory will probably have him engaged to someone else within the week."_

She was in position now, approaching him from behind where she gave a lite cough in order to gain his attention. "So, you must be the alchemist everyone's been talking about."

Ambrose turned around and looked at her before giving her a rather charming smile. "You must be Sona's sister." He stated with complete certainty.

"How'd you know?" Serafall couldn't help but wonder aloud as she cutely tilted her head to the side. _"He recognized me immediately. Did he see 'Magical Girl Levi-tan? Is he a fan?"_

"You both have the same lovely eyes." He pleasantly replied to her. "They're the color of amethyst."

" _This guy..."_ Serafall thought, frustrated that her plan had been foiled so soon. "Just because you're engaged to my So-tan doesn't mean you have my permission to marry her. I'll never let you take my sister away from me." She argued back, annoyed that he wasn't the least bit intimidated by her presence and that she had lost her cool as well.

"I would never separate you from your beloved sister, Serafall." Ambrose insisted, as if the idea was completely absurd.

Serafall couldn't help but notice that he said her name easily, as if he had said it a thousand times before.

"In fact, I want to be your Onii-chan." Ambrose confidently continued, looking right into her eyes.

"W-Wha-What?" Serafall stuttered in shock. _"Could he honestly be suggesting what I think he's suggesting?"_

"I said, 'I want to be your Onii-chan.'" He calmly repeated as he confidently approached her, causing her to look up in order to meet his eyes. "And I want you, Sona, and I to be together as a family."

" _He's Serious!"_ Serafall thought in alarm, her face turning bright red as the implications ran through her mind. _"The three of us… together…?"_

"W-Why should I recognize you as my O… Onii… Onii-chan." Serafall demanded, cursing herself for barely being able to get the word out of her mouth.

"Sona's told me all about you. How she can always count on you for support. How you can always put a smile on her face, even if you sometimes embarrass her. She's told me how much she truly loves you. But the most important thing was how much it would mean to her if the three of us could be together as a family."

"So-tan said all that..." Serafall asked in astonishment, trying desperately to hold back her own tears of happiness. She loved her sister more than anyone else, some would even say she loved her too much. But Sona always had a difficult time expressing the deep love they shared for one another.

" _But perhaps if it were the three of us..."_ Serafall wondered before an image of of them all sharing an intimate moment, _ménage à troi_ s, flashed in her mind.

 _"Onee-sama..." The Sona in her fantasy moaned in pleasure._

 _"Onee-san..." The Ambrose in her mind sensually whispered in her ear._

" _No, no, no!"_ She immediately shook her head, trying to banish both the image and the rising blush that was spreading across her entire face. _"So-tan would never agree to such a thing."_

"Of course she said all that, she speaks of you a lot." Ambrose said, unaware of her inner turmoil. "And all while she was telling me how wonderful you are I couldn't help but think, 'I want to be her Onii-chan. I want her to be my Onee-san."

" _I want her… Onee-san"_ The phrase kept repeating itself in Serafall's mind. _"I want to be your Onii-chan."_

"I… That is… You..." Serafall stuttered in embarrasement, unable to form proper sentence.

This was a disaster, everything she had planned for this meeting had completely fallen apart and she was left feeling rather confused. Suddenly the orchestra began playing again, signaling to the would-be dancers in the crowd that another round of dancing would begin.

"Someday soon, you'll be my Onee-san." Ambrose said with a confidence she found very attractive. He then politely bowed before her and before offering his hand. "For now, would you care to dance?"

"Okay..." Serafall breathlessly agreed and she soon found herself in his arms as they began to dance.

" _How did this happen?"_ She couldn't help but wonder as they waltzed across the floor.

She had originally wanted to chase him away from her sister, yet now she found herself dancing in his arms and she was actually enjoying herself.

" _He holds me as if he were completely comfortable with me."_ Serafall realized in surprise. _"Most people are too intimidated to even ask me to dance, let alone feel so comfortable to hold me so close. When was the last time I was asked to dance or even accepted an invitation for that matter?"_

While she did occasionally have admirers who attempted to woo her, Serafall had always rebuffed their clumsy and disingenuous attempts. They would shower her with false flattery, pretend to be interested in her television show, and pester her with questions on what it was like to be a Maō.

" _They only want to be with_ _Maō_ _Leviathan. But this, this is different._ _He didn't call me_ _Maō Leviathan, he called me Sona's sister."_ Serafall privately recalled. _"He recognized me because he recognized So-tan's eyes."_

Quite honestly, Serafall couldn't think of a better compliment than being addressed as 'Sona's Sister'.

" _Is this why Sona fell in love with you? Is this the reason why she left her entire family behind in order to be with you?"_ Serafall wondered as her sister's fiance led her across the dance floor. _"If so, I can see why she fell for you. It takes a pretty confident person to look me in the eye and say that he wants to be my Onii-chan; that they want to share both me and my sister together..."_

* * *

After leaving Saji in a nearby waiting room, Sona let out an exasperated sigh at all the trouble her **[Pawn]** has caused her lately.

"Thank you for your help, Kaichō." Tsubaki gratefully replied.

"I didn't do much, he was already passed out by the time you brought the matter to my attention." Sona said, smiling at her **[Queen]**. "Still, I'm not going to let Saji ruin my evening. Momo and Ruruko can keep an eye on him, if only to make sure he doesn't vomit all over Maō Lucifer's furniture."

"Well, they did want to spend more time with him." Tsubaki lightly chuckled, "Though I doubt they had this in mind when they made their plans for tonight."

"Those poor girls." Sona commented, lightly shaking her head. "Part of me hopes that they get over him and find someone worthwhile."

"And the other part?" Tsubaki playfully asked.

"Wishes that Saji gets his act together and recognizes their feelings for him, if only so he'll get over me." Sona said, grinning at her best friend. Her smile soon fell as she considered her **[Pawn]**. "His antics are causing more and more problems lately and I'm at a bit of a loss on what to do with him."

"Do you want me to take over Saji's corporal punishments?" Tsubaki surprisingly offered.

"Would you do that, knowing he's a masochist?" Sona couldn't help but ask, looking at her **[Queen]** with wide eyes. "He might turn his attention to you."

"Mmm, perhaps we could have both Momo and Ruruko do it then." Tsubaki said after thinking it over for a moment.

"Do you think they would?" Sona whispered in a conspiring manner.

"After tonight's disappointment, they just might." Tsubaki replied with a smile. "And who knows, they might learn to like it and instill him with some discipline."

"So long as everyone behaves themselves." Sona commented as she looked around for her fiance. "Now where is Am-chan?"

"Fu, fu, fu." Tsubaki giggled, covering her mouth with her hand as she used her superior height to find him quickly. "It seems his charms works on all the Sitri women. He's out on the dance floor with your sister."

"Onee-sama's here?" Sona said in alarm, not only surprised that her sister was here but dancing with her fiance of all people. "Excuse me for a moment, Tsubaki. I may have to rescue my fiance."

Quickly, she weaved around the other guests and approached a throng of individuals who had congregated around the dance floor.

" _It doesn't appear as if I need to settle anything at all."_ Sona realized in relief as she watched her sister dance with her fiance. Her heart glowed at the sight, thankful that Am-chan had managed to make such a good impression on her sister so quickly this time around. She often dreaded the thought of them meeting again for the first time and the effort it took for them to build their friendship. _"It seems they're off to a good start."_

She watched as the pair ended their dance with a formal bow, before Ambrose said something to Serafall while pointing out Sona from the crowd.

"So-tan!" Serafall cheered, causing Sona to stiffen in response to hearing that horrible nickname in front of such a large crowd. "So-tan, I've missed you!"

"Onee-sama" Sona helplessly protested as her sister embraced her tightly, "How many times do I have to tell you not to use that name when we're in public?"

"So-tan, don't be like that." Serafall cutely pouted, "I came here tonight just to see you."

"There's nothing quite as lovely as the bond between two sisters." Ambrose commented as he walked up to the pair.

"See? Am-chan doesn't mind if we're affectionate." Serafall softly murmured to her.

"While I'm thrilled to see the two of you getting along so well, could we please keep the displays of affection to a minimum while we're in public?" Sona weakly pleaded to her sister.

To her relief, Serafall finally released her; however, Sona noticed that her sister had adopted a rather odd look on her face.

"Don't get the wrong idea." Serafall suddenly said, adopting a rather stubborn look. "I was only dancing with him to be polite. This doesn't mean I accept him."

"And I look forward to the day where you do accept me." Ambrose replied, unaffected by the Maō obstinacy.

Sona noticed that her Onee-sama's face began to grow red, though whether from anger or embarrassment she couldn't say.

"Please excuse me Maō Leviathan, Lady Sona, Ambrose-sama." Grayfia suddenly said as she unexpectedly appeared out of the crowd. "I'm afraid I'll have to borrow Ambrose-sama for a bit, Lord Gremory will be presenting the title to the Seere Estate soon."

"Well then." Ambrose replied with a pleased smile. "If you're excuse me Lady Sona, Maō Leviathan. It appears I have some business to attend to."

"Levi-tan." Serafall suddenly spoke up, causing the group to look at her in confusion. "I'd rather you call me Levi-tan than Maō Leviathan."

"Levi-tan." Ambrose said with a charming smile.

"That doesn't mean you have permission to call me Onee-san." Serafall childishly protested with rosy cheeks.

"Perhaps you'll allow it someday." Ambrose replied before he and Grayfia departed their company.

Sona couldn't help but look at her sister with a fond smile.

"What?" Serafall innocently asked, pretending that nothing was wrong.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you two get along." Sona cheerfully commented, causing her sister to blush in embarrassment.

"I was just being nice to him." Serafall bashfully admitted, "It doesn't mean I like him."

"Well, I hope you eventually grow to like him." Sona happily replied. "The two of you are the most important people in my life, and I'd like the three of us to be together as a family."

"Y-you want the three of us to be a family?" Serafall asked as if she couldn't wrap her mind around the concept.

"Of course. He's going to be your Onii-chan one day." Sona earnestly replied causing her sister to turn crimson.

"Ladies and Gentleman." Lord Zeoticus Gremory loudly announced, gaining the attention of the entire ballroom. "I'd like to thank you all for coming here tonight. We've gathered here to not only celebrate my daughter's first victory in a Rating Game, but to also honor the individual who made her victory possible. In recognition of his efforts, I am proud to present the title and land to the Seere Estate to the alchemist famous in the human realm for his creation of the cure to lycanthropy. May I present to you Ambrose, the Dragon Slayer."

Sona couldn't help but applaud a bit more enthusiastically than she normally would. She was pleased to see that her sister, as well as the other guests, politely clapped along as well; though there was a bit of murmuring from the crowd.

" _I suppose it's to be expected._ _ _It is a rather unusual event._ "_ Sona privately mused as she tried to overhear the whispers.

Her attempts to listen in on the gossiping crowd was interrupted by her sister who softly whispered so as not to be overheard. "Hey, Sona..."

"Yes, Onee-sama?" Sona asked, turning to her sister to see a rather apprehensive look on her face.

"The truth is, I came because Mama asked me to." Serafall uncomfortably admitted, putting a damper on Sona's cheerful mood. "She wants you to come home as soon as the party's over."

"I assume she wants to settle matters officially." Sona guessed, trying to stave off the doubt and fear of being officially cast as a run a way, or worse a stray devil. She let out a sigh before adopting a resolute expression, vowing to accept the consequences of her actions. "I'll inform Am-chan and my peerage and then we all will head home… head to the Sitri Estate as soon as the party is over."

"He's not invited." Serafall stated in a manner which left no room for argument.

"She won't even meet him?" Sona despairingly asked, realizing that her fate was all but sealed.

"Don't worry Sona." Serafall reassuringly said, "I'll be there for the meeting too, and should Mama prove to be inflexible then I'll still support you. You won't be branded as a stray."

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona gratefully said before turning back to the stage where Ambrose was currently getting his picture taken with the entire Gremory Clan. "But that won't be necessary. Am-chan has already promised to take care of both me and my peerage. We're going to build my school on our new land."

"You're not going to break your engagement to him, are you?" Serafall asked, though Sona guessed she already knew the answer.

"Never." Sona resolutely replied. "I'm going to marry him."

Serafall gave her a small, sad smile. "I'll be waiting here until you're ready to go."

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona gratefully replied before she began making her way through the crowd in order to rejoin her fiance's side. She found him surrounded by the Gremory Clan, as well as Maō Lucifer, and pressed herself to his side as she listened in on their conversation.

"So, tell me my boy." Zeoticus said in a friendly manner, "What do you plan to do with your new estate?"

"Well, for one, we're going to build Sona's school on the grounds once we've finished college." Ambrose pleasantly replied as he gave Sona a welcoming smile. He then returned his attention to Lord Gremory before continuing, "I also hope to build a winery on the grounds. I'm in desperate need of additional land in order to expand my business."

"You need more land for your alchemy?" Lady Venelana queried before taking a sip of her champagne.

"Quite simply, yes. You see, I grow most of the ingredients I need and I hope to one day offer something special to the devils of the Underworld; provided their interested." Ambrose replied, giving Maō Lucifer a meaningful look.

" _No doubt he's referring to his fertility enhancers."_ Sona deduced.

"And what is this special thing you're offering to the Underworld?" Venelana politely inquired.

"It's classified for now." Maō Lucifer answered his mother. "But we've already begun testing it and as I understand the results are promising."

"Keep your secrets then." Venelana playfully replied with a smile, slapping her son's shoulder in a mock attempt to scold him.

"I can tell you about another project I'm working on." Ambrose admitted, enjoying the opportunity talk about his passion. "I've created a plant call Plasma Fruit, whose juice is a perfect replacement for blood. I hope to feed the Vampire Nation one day with this, but I needed land to grow an orchid, as well as a sommelier to help taste the wines I make."

"I understand Gaspar Vladi has been helping you out." Maō Lucifer casually mentioned.

"Yes, thank you for your permission to unseal him. He's been a big help, but he's a minor and I only let him drink the juices I provide." Ambrose gratefully replied to the Maō. "While the juice will probably be a large portion of the business, I hope to create fine wines for the vampires with a more discerning palate. For that, I'll need to fine a pure blood vampire, someone with impeccable tastes."

"Excuse me, but did you say you made this plant?" Zeoticus asked in confusion. "As in, actually created it."

"I genetically engineered it." Ambrose admitted, causing both Lord and Lady Gremory's eyes to widen. "I also enjoy herbology and have genetically created a few different plants."

"The boy likes plants..." Zeoticus muttered aloud in an unimpressed tone.

"There's nothing wrong with liking plants." Ambrose said, defending his craft. "As I understand it, the Bael Clan is the highest ranked Clan in the Underworld and just today I had the most delicious fruit which I'm told comes from their territory."

"Oh, you had a bapple." Venelana said with a smile, proud of her former Clan's heritage.

"That's right, you were a Bael before you were married." Her fiance recalled, before turning to Lady Gremory. "Do you know if the Bael Clan allows others to grow their own bapple tree?"

"They've never granted permission before." Venelana admitted with a smile, "But I might be able to pull a few strings for you, provided you promise not to sell any."

"I don't think I can promise that." Ambrose admitted with an embarrassed grin. "I was thinking they'd make a wonderful blend for wines."

"Perhaps a licensing agreement could be worked out in the future." Venelana offered, sensing a business opportunity.

"Do you make wines for non-vampires?" Zeoticus asked, "I'm always on the look out for new wines and spirits."

"I do make wines as well as grappa." Ambrose admitted with pride. "Perhaps once we've settled in I'll provide my new neighbors with a sample."

"Oh, I look forward to it." Zeoticus pleasantly replied.

"Back to the matter of this plasma fruit, how do you intend to sell your wines and juices to the Vampire Nation?" Lady Venelana inquired as she considered the difficulty of such a task. "I sincerely doubt vampires will give up drinking blood for the sake of this wine, regardless of how good it tastes. They've come to view hunting humans as some sort of tradition."

"I don't, in fact I fully expect them to dismiss my product out right." The alchemist revealed. "But I plan to bypass the governing body of the Vampire Nation, sell it to the consumers directly from my shops, and advertise it with the seal of approval from my chosen sommelier."

"Which is why you can't use little Vladi for your official taste tester." Venelana said, following his line of thought. "He's a dhampire and you need someone credible, another pure blood vampire to vouch for the quality of your product."

"Exactly." Ambrose said, giving Lady Gremory a respectful nod in acknowledgment for her business acumen.

"While I'd hate to put a damper on this conversation, I'm afraid it's getting rather late." Sona regretfully interjected. "We have a train to catch tomorrow afternoon, and a few members of my peerage are rather tired."

"Oh, so soon?" Maō Lucifer said with disappointment. "We'll I hope we'll get the chance to see more of you, now that you're neighbors with my family."

"I don't plan on going anywhere." Ambrose said as he gave his fiance an affectionate smile. "I have a very good reason to stick around."

Sona couldn't help but blush at the praise, bashfully hugging herself close to his arm.

"Maō Lucifer, Lord and Lady Gremory, thank you for the wonderful evening. I'm glad we had this opportunity to get to know each other." Ambrose politely said.

"Thank you very much for the invitation." Sona added as she and her fiance gave them a polite bow.

"The pleasure was all ours." Maō Lucifer said with a smile. "We all look forward to the next time we meet."

With that, Sona and Ambrose left the company of their hosts and made their way towards the exit.

"Is everything alright with Saji?" Ambrose asked, no doubt wondering why they were leaving a bit early.

"He had a bit too much to drink and is currently passed out. Momo and Ruruko are currently taking care of him." Sona said as they made their way through the crowd. "The truth is that I've been summoned by my mother."

"I see." Ambrose heavily replied, the implications of such a summoning were apparent to him.

"Yes, and unfortunately you weren't invited." Sona shamefully admitted, hating the fact that her mother wouldn't even meet with her fiance.

"So that's how it is, then." Ambrose said with a frown. "You realize that if I don't see you on tomorrow's train I'm going to scour the Sitri lands in order to find you."

"I'm counting on it." Sona replied with a smile, feeling a bit better knowing that she still had his support, even if he wasn't there.

"I suppose I'll spend the night at our new home then." Ambrose said after a moment of thought, "I'll begin making adjustments to the wards so that it can be made into a proper sanctuary."

"Sounds good." Sona distractedly replied, her mind was too focused on what was to come.

She and Ambrose soon approached the exit of the room where Serafall, Tsubaki, and the rest of her peerage were waiting. Tomoe seemed to have trouble relinquishing Gaspar to Akeno, the little dhampire had fallen asleep on her lap. Sona couldn't help but notice that Ruruko and Momo seemed a bit unhappy, as well as Tsubasa who was using her **[Rook]** 's strength to carry the unconscious Saji.

" _For your sake Saji, I hope you don't get sick all over Tsubasa."_ Sona thought as she gave her **[Rook]** an apologetic look. _"She'd have your guts for garters and with the way you've been acting lately I just might let her."_

"All set to go?" Serafall asked Sona after she and her fiance arrived.

"You're going with them, Levi-tan?" Ambrose asked.

"Of course." Maō Leviathan answered as if it were obvious.

"I'm glad to hear it, I feel much better knowing you'll be there to support Sona." Ambrose stated with a satisfied smile.

Serafall immediately blushed as she softly protested, "I'm not the one who got her into trouble in the first place."

"I got myself into this mess." Sona reminded her sister, standing up for both her decision and her fiance. "And you've gotten me into trouble many times. Or have you forgotten the time where you stole my swimsuit and then chased me around the house trying to steal my towel?"

Serafall embarrassingly blushed as she recalled the memory.

"Nothing wrong with skinny dipping." Ambrose suddenly spoke up. "Besides, I'm sure you both have bathed together before. Doesn't sound like a big deal."

"I know, right?" Serafall exclaimed, glad to have someone defending her.

" _She wasn't trying to bath with me, Am-chan."_ Sona thought, unwilling to voice her sister's true motives aloud.

"We should head out." Tsubaki said, reminding them of their task. "It would be unwise to keep Lady Sitri waiting."

"Right." Sona resolutely replied before turning to her lover.

Although she normally disapproved of public displays of affection, she was unwilling to part from him with out giving him something to remember her by. With that in mind, Sona reached up and pulled him to her lips, giving him the most loving and sensual kiss she could muster. Her tongue lightly teased his before they both breathlessly parted and simply stared at one another.

"Woah, talk about a kiss." Tsubasa said in awe.

"Sona..." Serafall whined, but quite honestly Sona couldn't be bothered to worry about any them now.

"I'll be waiting for you at the train station." Sona vowed to her fiance.

"Not if I'm there waiting for you first." He replied.

With that, the couple regretfully parted and Sona, along with her sister and peerage, were then transported to the Sitri Estate, where the fate of her status as heiress apparent would be decided.


	22. Season 1, Chapter 14

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Waking up in the warm embrace of her lover was Sona's favorite way to start the day. Languishing within the warm sheets, she sleepily thought to herself. _"_ _There's just something about morning sex that makes the rest of the day_ _so much_ _more_ _pleasurable._ _"_

While still half asleep, Sona blindly searched and found the exceptionally soft lips of her fiance. His surprised was soon muffled by their shared passion, and her tongue slid into his mouth as she crushed their breasts against each other.

" _Wait.."_ Sona drowsily questioned. _"Breasts?"_

Her hand tentatively reached out, where she soon found a fleshy mound. Giving it an experimental squeeze, a feminine moan escaped from her partner's lips causing Sona to abruptly opened her eyes.

"Sona..." Serafall breathlessly said, "You've become such a good kisser."

"ONEE-SAMA!" Sona anguishly shouted out, waking up the entire house.

* * *

" _This is truly a depressing morning."_ Sona morosely thought as she trudged into the breakfast room with as much dignity as she could.

After leaving Maō Lucifer's party and arriving at the Sitri Estate last night, Ladi Sitri had politely greeted Sona and her peerage before explaining that Lord Shitori Sitri had been unexpectedly called away for important business. Empusa then stated that the issue of Sona's recent behavior would be decided in the morning before sending her off to bed as if she were an errant child who had misbehaved. Truthfully, Sona would rather be anywhere else at the moment and simply wanted this whole ordeal to be over with.

As she took her seat at the table, she thanked Otis for her breakfast despite the fact that she didn't feel like eating. Sitting around while waiting for the hammer to fall didn't do any favors for her appetite. Rather than focus on her food, she looked across the table to the right of the head seat where her Onee-sama sat. She couldn't help but notice that Serafall's normally cheerful mood had been elevated to new heights.

" _No doubt from this morning's misunderstanding."_ Sona embarrassingly thought as she tried to keep a blush from blossoming on her cheeks.

Recalling this morning's incident brought forth feelings that had been buried for a long time. For the majority of her life, Serafall was her closest confidant and she loved her Onee-sama dearly. While the type of relationship that Serafall wanted wasn't exactly forbidden in devil society, it was certainly frowned upon due to the new morality brought by the inclusion of so many newly converted devils. She felt as if she would die of shame if anyone discovered what had happened.

" _Please don't say anything Onee-sama."_ Sona mentally pleaded to her sister.

Of course, neither Sona nor Serafall were telepathic and it appeared as if the Maō wasn't paying attention to anyone. Serafall was currently too engrossed with her breakfast, cheerfully humming the theme song to her television show with a bright smile on her face.

" _If Onee-sama is willing to ignore what happened, then I certainly don't want to remind her by gaining her attention."_ Sona reasoned and then looked towards the head of the table where her father, Lord Shitori Sitri, was currently hiding behind his newspaper, his breakfast left untouched. While Empusa was Lady Sitri, her father would be the one who would ultimately decide her fate. Unfortunately, he bent to her mother's will far too often.

"Good morning, Sona." Her father casually said from behind his newspaper, as if there was nothing wrong in the world. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you for asking." She replied, unsure whether to address him as 'Father' or 'Lord Sitri' in this situation.

"Been getting into a bit of trouble, have we?" Shitori asked in an offhanded manner. He then bent his paper so he could have a proper look at her. "Best eat your breakfast, it's a long trip back to the human realm."

" _Is that all you have to say?"_ Sona thought, giving her father a look of complete disbelief.

"None of that now." Her father said with a touch of amusement. "Wait until your mother comes, and then the fun can begin."

" _What? Fun?"_ Sona thought in utter bewilderment, but the only answer her father gave her was a subtle wink before hiding behind his newspaper once more.

"Good morning everyone." Empusa said, accepting a coffee from Otis before she took her customary seat to the left of Lord Sitri. Today she appeared with long black hair, styled in the back, with violet eyes; an appearance she normally took when attending to official Clan business. "I apologize for my tardiness, but if I had known Sona was so eager to get things started then I would have arrived earlier."

"Need I remind you that you were the one who summoned me?" Sona said, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I had expected to have this wrapped up by now."

"I can hardly be blamed for the actions of the Maōs. Your father was summoned to work last night, and I wasn't about to let you all sleep in the wilds again." Empusa said, giving her daughter a pitying look that Sona found to be a bit condescending. "Despite what you may think of me, I take no pleasure in this unfortunate business."

"If it's all the same then I'd rather get on with it." Sona firmly stated. "We have a train to catch this afternoon."

"Do you really want to begin these proceedings so early in the morning with your entire peerage present?" Empusa asked with an arched eyebrow. "Let's wait until after breakfast, it's unseemly to argue in front of the servants."

"Seeing how the verdict will affect them as well, then I see no reason why they shouldn't be present." Sona replied before adding. "I'd also like to point out that my fiance has a right to be here as well. It's unfair to render a judgment on this issue when you're unwilling to even meet him. You had every opportunity to last night, yet you were conspicuously absent from the party. That isn't like you, especially when it involves your friend Lady Gremory."

"That party was a farce." Empusa dismissively replied, rolling her eyes. "It was extremely uncouth to throw such an event, celebrating the dissolvement of an engagement between two clans."

"It was a victory party; though the match was unofficial, it was Rias's first win." Sona said, correcting her mother.

"Make no mistake, Rias Gremory did not win that match. Her involvement was obsolete at best, and neglectfully absent at worst." Lady Sitri strongly asserted to Sona's surprise. "We live in a society where personal advancement is based on merit, and Rias proved that she doesn't have what it takes to be a **[King]**. She didn't lead her peerage, she hid away and let others deal with her problems. What's even more disgraceful was that she bought and paid for her victory. In the end, the Gremory Clan came out poorer for the match; they lost their engagement to a higher ranking Pillar and surrender a significant portion of their territory in order to achieve this so called 'victory'."

"Did you happen to see the Rating Game, my dear?" Shitori casually asked from behind his paper. "I understand it was broadcast last night in order to quell the rumors of a conflict between the two Clans. The boy was rather impressive, far more so than one would expect from a human."

"There was no point watching the match." Empusa lofty replied to her husband with a touch of annoyance. "The results were already known to me by the time it was aired and I'm only concerned about the consequence."

Sona noticed that her mother seemed a bit frustrated. _"She's no doubt upset because she doesn't seem to have any allies at the table."_

"You saw the boy last night, Sera-chan." Empusa asked, her voice straining slightly when saying the nickname her daughter, the Maō, insists on being addressed as. "What did you think of him?"

"Well…" Serafall hesitantly replied while playing with her food, avoiding eye contact with the entire table. "Maybe could be my Onii-chan… so long as So-tan continues to wake me up the way she did this morning."

" _Onee-sama!"_ Sona thought in a panic while giving her sister a silent warning.

The entire table gave the Maō a curious look, even Shitori put his paper down for a moment to give her his complete attention.

"Just don't tell him I said that." Serafall added as an afterthought.

Ruruko, who was unfamiliar with Serafall's preferences, asked her. "How exactly did the two of you wake up?"

The Maō simply gave a satisfied smile and took another bite of her breakfast, signaling her silence on the matter.

Empusa rolled her eyes before dismissing her eldest daughter's strange comment. "Back to the topic at hand, it doesn't matter how well he did during the Rating Game. What we need to do is figure out how to handle this mess that we now find ourselves in."

"What mess?" Sona asked, feigning ignorance. "As far as I'm aware both the Phenex Clan and the Gremory Clan are happy with the results. The Phenex Clan especially since they've been reunited with their ancestor. That's not even considering the lucrative deal which increases their production of the Phenex Tears Elixir; something which benefits this Clan greatly. Not only are we receiving 100 free doses, but we now have a pact with one of the two producers of the elixr and can now purchase it at a reduced price due to the higher supply."

"You're not paying attention." Empusa lectured her daughter. "The fact that the Phenex Clan benefited from the Rating Game is a sheer fluke."

"No, it's because of Ambrose that they were able to walk away with something." Sona pointed out, defending her fiance.

"What he did for the Phenex Clan wasn't out of the kindness of his heart, it was purely pragmatic. How else was he going to get the tears he needed in order to make the elixir; hatch Saffron Phenex and raise him himself?" Empusa questioned with a sarcastic undertone. "It would have been impossible for him to make the elixir without those tears, so he traded Lord Phenex's father in exchange for a monthly stipend. The deal that he made with the Phenex Clan was nothing more than a sweetly worded ransom."

"That's not what happened!" Sona heatedly replied.

"In this instance, I have to agree with Sona." Lord Sitri suddenly spoke up from behind his paper. "I was in the room and it was agreed that Saffron would be transferred to Lord Phenex before they discussed any other business."

"It doesn't change the fact that the Phenex Clan lost their monopoly and that Riser suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of a human." Empusa argued, defending her position. "In the end, that boy is the only one who came out on top and he did so at the expense of those who are far greater than he is. While he may be 'sitting pretty' right now, there will be repercussions unless he's offered the protection of another Pillar."

"The Sitri Clan should offer him our protection due to the fact that he's my magician, my fiance, and in consideration of everything he's provided for us." Sona replied, glaring at her mother.

"Need I remind you that you're in a rather precarious position, yourself? It would be wise to put as much distance as you can from him and break your pact and engagement." Empusa said to her daughter, completely unaffected by her anger. "Not only would it be a show of solidarity between the Sitri and Gremory Clans, something we need to uphold since we're both families of Maōs, but it will protect us from the ramifications of his actions. All it would take is the death of that boy and the Gremory's will have their territory back while the Phenex Clan will retain their monopoly, along with that kettle of his. Yes, this Clan has benefited from the outcome of the Rating Game, but should the other two Clans assassinate the boy then we could still hold onto those benefits, provided we terminate our association with him."

"You can expect me to defend his life against any who would attack him!" Sona shouted aloud to everyone present. "I love him and refuse to abandon him!"

"Then you should have turned him into a devil and taught him his proper place!" Empusa angrily retorted. "Instead, you chose to help Rias and gave her a victory that she did not earn herself. By helping her you have only weakened her, robbing her of the experience she needs in order to be an effective **[King]**. Now, instead of becoming stronger by fighting with her own power and peerage, she 'bought' her victory and revealed herself to be incompetent to the entire Underworld. Everyone can now see that she is incapable of winning, of leading her own servants, and the reputation of her Clan will most likely be irrevocably damaged. None of the Pillars will ever take a marriage proposal for Rias seriously again. Even if someone did offer to marry her, they would only do so that they might one day take advantage of her Clan. Right now, the best thing the Gremory's can do in order to save their honor, is to turn this alchemist into Rias's servant and engage the two of them to be married posthaste. It is the only way they can keep their land and truly declare Rias the victor."

"That's not going to happen. Am-chan would never join Rias's peerage or agree to marry her, he can barely tolerate her as it is." Sona stated with absolute certainty.

"Then he's a dead man, living on borrowed time." Empusa replied before giving her daughter a sympathetic look. "Humans have short lives anyway, it would be best if you moved on and found someone more worthy."

"I'm going to marry him. I love him, and he's won that right." Sona said, looking her mother straight into her eyes to impart the seriousness of her commitment. "And for your information, he's the new immortal alchemist."

"I beg your pardon?" Shitori suddenly spoke up, ignoring his paper for a moment and looking at his daughter in disbelief. "You mean to tell me he created a Philosopher's Stone?"

"That's correct." Sona replied, maintaining their cover story. "He's a genius, not only did he create a philosopher's stone but also the cure to lycanthropy. He's a brilliant alchemist; a student of magic, science, and medicine."

"Oh, how interesting." Her father pleasantly replied before going back to his newspaper, causing Sona's eye to twitch in annoyance.

" _If it's interesting then you could at least provide me with a little support, father."_

"I doubt he'll live another year; being immortal is not the same as being invincible, as Riser recently found out." Empusa heartily said to her daughter. "You need to prepare yourself for the eventuality that someone will kill him. The sooner you put some distance between the two of you, the sooner you can get over this and find someone else; someone more worthy… and who's actually a devil."

"I'll be that 'Someone Else'!" Saji suddenly spoke up, gathering the attention of the entire room.

"Saji, do shut up." Sona said, glaring at her troublesome **[Pawn]**. _"I don't care if he's a masochist, I'm going to spank the shit out of him when I get the chance."_

"I'm afraid I can't do that Kaichō." Saji replied as if he were reciting lines in some cheesy heroic story. "Ever since that guy enrolled in Kuoh Academy, I've watched him constantly stir up trouble for us. First he got us involved in that Fallen Angel nonsense, and now he's interfering in affairs with the Gremory Clan which has gotten you into trouble with your family."

"Saji, it was my idea to get involved with Rias's engagement." Sona hissed at her errant **[Pawn]**. "Am-chan wanted nothing to do with it; I'm the one who pressed him into doing this and I'm going to face the consequences."

"Excuse me, what 'Fallen Angel nonsense' is he talking about?" Empusa suddenly asked, her eyes wide in alarm.

"Classified." Serafall explained to her mother with a single word, before giving the **[Pawn]** a warning look. "Naughty boys should keep their mouth shut; someone needs a spanking."

"He'll be getting that and more." Sona vowed, glaring at her **[Pawn]**.

"Kaichō, I'll gladly take that punishment and more if it means separating you from that asshole." Saji continued to rant, causing the entire table to look at him in disbelief.

" _He'd gladly take that punishment?"_ Sona thought in alarm.

"He really is a masochist." Ruruko whispered to Momo, echoing Sona's thoughts.

Unaware, or perhaps unconcerned with the scene he was causing, Saji turned to Empusa and pleaded. "Please, Lady Sitri, please. Let me be Kaichō's fiance instead, I love her and will continue to serve her faithfully."

"Excuse me, young man but who are you?" Lady Sitri incredulously asked in complete disbelief.

"Saji Genshiro, ma'am, and your daughter's **[Pawn]** worth four pieces. With your permission I'd like to be formally recognized as Kaichō's fiance."

Had the situation been any different, Sona would have laughed at the dubious expression on her mother's face. As it was, Sona was too angry and humiliated by his actions to find any amusement whatsoever.

Lady Sitri's gave the **[Pawn]** a look which expressed just how unimpressed she was. "Young man, you just promised to serve her faithfully, yet you refused to keep your mouth shut when she ordered you to. Now I'm ordering you, listen to your **[King]** and do shut up."

Sona couldn't help but add her two cents, wanting to squash this stupid crush once and for all. "Saji, I really don't see you in any romantic way. In fact, given your recent behavior I'm starting to see you less and less favorably. You've become bitter, jealous, and quite frankly an embarrassment and a danger to me and my peerage. You have no right to interfere in my engagement, and you've just spilled classified secrets after I specifically told you they were a matter of national security. You've embarrassed me and my peerage with your behavior in the Familiar Forest, not to mention that you drank so much last night you completely passed out. You're in enough trouble as it is, so I'll advise you to stay out of my personal business."

"Kaichō, you heard Lady Sitri, he's a dead man walking. He was a nobody before that, an orphan that was abandoned by his parents. No one will miss him when he's gone." Saji said, digging his grave.

"Please young man, don't take my side." Empusa with as much dignity as she could. "My entire argument could be invalidated simply by having the support of a buffoon."

Otis suddenly cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the entire room. "My Lord and Lady Sitri, the Gremory Clan along with Maō Lucifer have arrived."

"What? What are they doing here?" Empusa asked in both shock and confusion.

"Oh, I invited them." Shitori offhandedly mentioned as he folded his paper and placed it on the table. "There are a few issues regarding Sona's fiance that need to be cleared up, so I thought it best to invite the Gremory Clan and get their take on all this. Otis, will you please invite them into the breakfast room?"

"Of course, my Lord." The butler said with a bow and then left to collect their guests.

"First we argue in front of the servants, now we'll argue in front of the Gremory Clan." Empusa said, giving an exasperated huff in annoyance. "We might as well invite the press so the entire Underworld can watch the spectacle."

Any further protests was halted when Maō Lucifer and the entire Gremory Clan, sans Rias's peerage, was admitted into the breakfast room. After entering the room, Lady Venelana Gremory rushed to embrace her friend.

"Em-chan, how are you?" Venelana cheerfully asked while kissing both of Empusa's cheeks in greeting.

"Quite surprised to see you, my dear." Empusa replied while trying to hide her unease.

Maō Lucifer then broke away from his family, striding further into the room with a purpose while taking great care to look at all the occupants. "Where is he? Where is Ambrose?"

"I'm afraid he's not here." Sona explained to the leader of the entire Underworld, with a touch of confusion as to why he seemed so determined to speak with her fiance. "Presently, he isn't welcome within any of the Sitri households. We were just having a private discussion on what to do about Ambrose in the future, as well as whether or not I am still fit to inherit the title of Lady Sitri."

"What do you mean, 'What to do with him'?" Maō Lucifer asked in bafflement.

"Mama was just discussing the benefits of having him assassinated." Serafall spoke up with a teasing smile.

"What?!" Sirzechs shouted out, turning his harsh gaze to Lady Sitri.

"I wasn't suggesting that _'we'_ kill him, I was simply pointing out that someone might do away with him because of his and my daughter's meddling." Lady Sitri contritely explained.

"You can forget about any such thing, the boy is under my protection." Maō Lucifer firmly declared.

"And mine as well." Lord Gremory heatedly added. "Now tell us; if he's not here then where is he?"

"I'd imagine he's at our new home, the Seere Estate." Sona worriedly answered, before asking. "Why, has something happened?"

"The Seere territory has disappeared." Maō Lucifer explained with a touch of concern. "We went to see him this morning, but we weren't able to teleport there. After taking a sky-car to the Seere Estate we discovered that the entire area has disappeared. It's as if Mount Ose and the Dragon Mountain have swallowed the entire valley."

Sona frowned as she quickly figured out what had happened and came up with a cover story that was as close to the truth as possible. "He's in control of the wards now, and has no doubt locked the entire property down to protect it while we're away at school."

"There was no need for all that." Lord Gremory replied, sounding almost relieved. "We would have been glad to take care of the estate during his absence."

"My fiance is rather independent." Sona politely explained to their distinguished guests. "I have no doubt he would rather handle this on his own."

"What's this all about?" Lady Sitri asked in confusion. "Why have you come here if you're looking for the boy?"

"We came because we knew Sona was here, and had hoped that Ambrose would be with her." Sirzechs firmly replied to Lady Sitri, using his formal tone. "We had hoped to meet with him so that he could be formally recognized as my son."

"What?" Both Sona and Empusa shouted at the same time.

"Oh the look on your faces!" Serafall laughed loudly in delight. "Mama, I couldn't wait to see your face but both you and So-tan making the same expression at the same time?! Priceless!"

Lord Shitori gained the attention of the entire table by opening up the newspaper, showing the front page that he had been carefully hiding the entire time. On it was an enormous picture from last night's party, one with Ambrose standing next to Maō Lucifer and the entire Gremory Clan when he received the title to the Seere Estate. Above the picture, written in a large bold print, read the headline: "The Son Of Lucifer Returns!"

" _Oh shit!"_ Sona couldn't help but think as she gazed at the front page. " _Am-chan is going to hate this!"_

"Yes! Pay up Ruruko, I told you he was related to Maō Lucifer." Momo excitedly said.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll pay you when we get back home." Ruruko sighed in disappointment.

"The boy is Millicas-chan?" Empusa whispered, her face turning white as her mind raced through different scenarios and consequences.

"Yes, and you were just discussing his assassination." Zeoticus heatedly replied. "I do hope you understand the consequences, should anything happen to my grandson."

"I didn't know." Empusa weakly replied, shaking her head. "How could I have known?"

"I'm surprised you didn't know before us." Venelana said to her friend, giving her a rather chilled look. "You normally find out secrets before anyone else. Didn't you see the match when it was broadcast last night?"

Empusa simply flopped onto a chair, her eyes were vacant and distant as she tried to process everything.

"While I applaud you for handling my mother so deftly, I'd like to protest your claim on behalf of my fiance." Sona spoke to the group, wanting to defend him in his absence. "I'll admit that he and Maō Lucifer bear a striking resemblance, I even suspected him of being Millicas when we first met. However, I'm afraid you are all mistaken. He has **[Sacred Gear]** and can wield holy power, that negates the possibility of him being a pure-blooded devil."

"Holy Power?!" Empusa suddenly spoke up, gaining her wits and glared at her daughter. "When were you planning on telling me this?"

"You already hated him on sheer principle." Sona dismissively replied, unconcerned with her mother's anger. "I saw no reason to bring it up. Never the less, the fact that he has holy power prevents him from being Millicas. You can't wield both holy and demonic power at the same time."

"I'm afraid my daughter is correct." Shitori stated, giving the Maō a questioning look. "Heaven's System, the governing force that regulates miracles and allows humans to wield holy magic, would never grant a devil such power."

Sirzechs inexplicably turned to Serafall, and the two shared a rather uncomfortable look.

"Heaven's System has been suffering from a few irregularities, as of late." Sirzechs hesitantly explained. "As such, a number of anomalies have been forming more and more frequently."

Shitori's eyes began to dart back and forth, his mind racing as he voiced his thoughts aloud. "That's... not possible. Any irregularities to the System would be immediately fixed unless..."

His eyes suddenly grew wide as a look of panic overcame him. "Oh Maō… Unless He were..."

"Daddy!" Serafall loudly said, interrupting her father from his thought process. "I believe that Heaven's irregularities is a conversation we can have at another time… in private."

"Yes..." Lord Shitori breathlessly replied as he nodded in agreement. "Of course, Sera-chan."

Despite the cryptic overtone of what was said, Sona privately deduced what had disturbed her father. _"God is dead and that's why Heaven's System is suffering from irregularities. I had already known, but Father just figured it out and was silenced for it. Could they know about the **[Master Key]** too?" _

She looked around the table, noting the confusion on everyone's faces, and felt relieved to notice that no one else had realized the secret that was almost revealed.

Sirzechs suddenly spoke up, no doubt in an attempt to move the conversation away from the rather sensitive topic. "Regardless of how and why Heaven's System is suffering from irregularities, what is important is that these anomalies are creating opportunities for some rather unscrupulous individuals. This is why my son was kidnapped in the first place; someone theorized that they could combine holy and demonic powers and attempted to experiment on my son in order to accomplish this."

"How did they kidnap him in the first place?" Sona asked in an attempt to get more information. "The reports I managed to get ahold of weren't exactly clear on how the kidnapping took place."

"My duties as a Maō often leave me and my **[Queen]** too busy to attend to our son's needs." Sirzechs admitted with a touch of shame. "When this would happen, he would stay with his grandparents. One day while he was staying with them, two of the groundskeepers, who were later revealed to be members of the Old Satan faction, had spirited him away from the property. We found their dead bodies at the boarders of the Fallen Angel's territory."

"But how did they get him off the property?" Sona asked on confusion, recalling her own family's defenses. "Ever since the Civil War, the wards of the remaining Pillars were upgraded in order to prevent something like this from happening."

"It's believed that they used a secret tunnel, one originally built on the estate." Zeoticus brusquely explained. "The land has been in my family for generations, we didn't know those tunnels existed."

"Nor have we found those tunnels." Sirzechs said, giving his father an inscrutable look before continuing. "Everything gets a bit murky after that. Azazel, the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, denied their involvement. He also claimed that some specialized and dangerous equipment had been stolen from his private labs by a group of Fallen Angels who had gone rouge. At the time it was theorized that the same group who were responsible for the theft of his equipment might also have orchestrated Millicas's kidnapping."

"What sort of equipment are we talking about?" Sona asked, wanting as much information as possible.

"He never told us, though knowing Azazel's obsession we can surmise it had something to do with **[Sacred Gear]**." Sirzechs said before carrying on. "What we did manage to discover was the identity of one of the orchestrators responsible for the theft of his equipment, a Bishop from the church named Valper Galilei."

"So Heaven was responsible for the theft and kidnapping?" Empusa questioned, having never heard the true version of these events.

"Yes and no." Serafall spoke up, looking far more serious than she normal. "While the church and Heaven are associated with one another, they are completely separate entities. At the time, we believed that the church was responsible and acted without Heaven's knowledge."

"Being Devils, we couldn't question the church, so we went to Heaven who started their own investigation." Sirzechs continued to explain. "It was discovered that Valper was secretly working with rogue Fallen Angels and conducting brutal experiments on children, which often left them dead or far worse. Valper was promptly excommunicated from the church and Heaven; however, he still controlled a vast amount of resources and maintained his alliance with the rogue Fallen Angels. In a rare show of cooperation, all three factions briefly joined forces in an effort to hunt him down; though each of us had our own motives for doing so. Heaven wanted to gather more information on a secret project he was working on, the Grigori wanted their equipment back, and I was still looking for my son. It wasn't long before we discovered one of his labs at an abandoned church in Italy."

"Was it an orphanage?" Sona asked, her mind still looking for a connection between her fiance and the Maō's lost son.

"I see you already did your own bit of research into this matter." Sirzechs replied with a surprised look. "There were actually two churches in Italy that were destroyed within months of each other; the first one was Valper's secret lab where we believed Millicas to be held."

Sirzechs suddenly grew somber, his face taking on a haunted look as he began to recall. "When we arrived at Valper's lab, we discovered that it had recently been destroyed. We began to find a strange energy signature as we searched the area, a combination of holy and demonic energy. It was only after we discovered the records of Valper's research did we truly understand what he attempted to do. He had experimented on Millicas in order to create some sort of holy demonic hybrid, though it was unclear at the time just how he hoped to accomplishes such a thing. As you know, holy and demonic energy annihilate each other on contact. Given the extent of the destruction and the nature of the experiment, we naturally assumed Millicas had died… tortured to death from the experiment until… until his entire body disintegrated."

The entire Gremory Clan grew somber at the painful memory. In a rare display of affection and support, Maō Lucifer and Grayfia reached for each other and held hands.

While Sona's heart couldn't help but break for the pain the Gremory Clan went through, her mind was racing as she considered what she had learned. She couldn't help but recall what Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor, had said when he described the experience of being turned into a **[Sacred Gear].** _"_ _ **When an individual experiences such an overwhelming amount of pain, the consciousness shuts down completely. It's no wonder I can barely remember my past..."**_

" _Is that why he has no memory past a certain point in his life?"_ Sona couldn't help but wonder as tears began to fall down her cheeks. _"Am-chan, is this what happen to you?"_

After everyone took a moment to collect themselves, Sirzechs continued his account. "Needless to say, the cooperation the three Factions had reached was promptly terminated and the ceasefire we had maintained for centuries was at risk of collapsing completely. While Heaven and the Grigori denied there involvement, there was still enough evidence to implicate them in the matter. The people of the Underworld would demand blood once what had happened became public and another war seemed all but inevitable."

Tears fell down Maō Lucifer's eyes as he continued. "I've made a lot of sacrifices to change the Underworld. I brought a civil war to my people in the hopes of creating a more peaceful Devil Nation. But the greatest sacrifice I ever made as a leader was also my greatest failure as a father. After declaring my son officially dead, I granted amnesty to the other two factions for their roles in his disappearance. I never stopped looking for Valper, in fact that is how Rias-chan found her **[Knight]** Yuuto. However, I gave up on my son when he's actually been alive this entire time. I should have kept looking for him, I should never have given up!" Sirzechs declared with frustration and guilt. "Instead, I sacrificed my son in the name of peace. I failed him as a father, and it haunts me to know that my son might never forgive me for abandoning him."

Sona watched as the Maō desperately tried to retain his composure. He often gave the appearance of someone who was carefree by displaying his signature smile. She had never seen him in such a state before, and felt compelled to offer him whatever comfort she could. "While I can't say for certain that my fiance is also your son, I can tell you one thing about Ambrose. He would applaud you for keeping the peace. Starting a war for his sake is the last thing he would want." She stated with complete certainty.

"Thank you." Sirzechs gratefully replied, looking as if a burden was lifted from his shoulders. "Forgive me, but I have to ask. How did you know about the orphanage that was destroyed a few months after Millicas was declared dead? There was no mention of it in the official reports related to his kidnapping."

While Sona knew her fiance valued his privacy, she also wanted to find the answers to this mystery and therefore saw no reason to withhold information. "When I first met him, I shared in your suspicions; I too thought he might be Millicas. He later convinced me that he wasn't when he showed me his Holy Power and **[Sacred Gear]** ; however, he also told me a bit about his childhood. He said that the earliest memory he had was when he lived in an orphanage in Italy before it was destroyed."

"Do you know how it was destroyed?" Sirzechs asked, desperate for answers. "I had heard of another church, an orphanage, that was destroyed soon after Millicas's death but details were scarce. The relations between the three factions were quite fragile at the time and so sending someone to investigate the matter was impossible."

"Ambrose destroyed it, accidentally of course." Sona replied to the Maō. "Apparently the orphanage was planning on holding a play about the church's version of Noah's Ark. Ambrose was dissatisfied with the poor props so he began conjuring animals, two of each kind. Eventually the conjured animals soon began a stampede and wound up destroying both the orphanage and the church that was on the grounds. Needless to say, the nuns were not impressed with his actions, so he mounted a camel and left, never to return."

"Did you hear that, my dear?" Zeoticus excitedly said to his wife. "The boy destroyed a church and rode off on a camel, just like his ancestors! He's a Gremory, alright!"

The entire Gremory group seemed to appreciate the levity brought by the story of Ambrose's past; even Rias gave a small smile though it was a bit strained due to her fear of camels.

Sona was not about to get distracted, and soon brought the most pressing matter to everyone's attention. "None of this proves that Ambrose is Millicas. There's no real evidence linking the two together. All of this is circumstantial."

"We've been conducting our own investigation in the matter, gathering our own evidence, and today we can confirm that Ambrose is my son." Sirzechs replied with absolute certainty. "You saw the Rating Game Sona, you saw him use the Power of Destruction twice; first to take out Riser's **[Queen]** and then on Riser himself."

"The Power of Destruction is not a trait exclusive to the Gremory Clan, it originates from the Bael Clan. He could just as easily have a Bael ancestor." Sona pointed out.

"Then how was he able to get to the Rating Game?" Sirzechs rhetorically asked. She gave him a confused look, so the Maō continued his explaination. "Grayfia transported him, along with Rias and her peerage, using a Gremory magical circle. The magical transportation circle only works on those affiliated with the Clan's circle."

" _Oh My Maō!"_ Sona thought, her eyes growing wide as the implications made themselves clear. _"It happened right in front of me, but I wasn't paying attention. If Am-chan wasn't a Gremory then the transpiration circle would have left him behind!"_

"We also matched his finger prints from a champagne glass he used last night." Sirzechs continued, "As well as a hair sample we gave to your father for a genetic comparison."

" _They have his DNA!"_ Sona realized in a panic. _"This is a complete disaster. Has the **[Master Key]** been exposed?"_

"About that sample you gave me." Shitori uncomfortably said, "After comparing it to Milicas's original DNA, I'm afraid to inform you that it wasn't an exact match."

"What?" Grayfia suddenly spoke up, completely taken back by the news. "That's… that's not possible! He's my son! I know it!"

"As I said, it's not an exact match; however, it is a partial match." Shitori patiently explained to the **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer. "Half of his DNA does, in fact, match Millicas's. Normally, I would say that Ambrose is Millicas's son, but that's not possible so I did a bit of digging. As it turns out, the portions of his DNA that doesn't match Millicas's sample appears to have been altered… by holy power."

" _Crap, crap, crap!"_ Sona thought, desperate not to reveal anything. _"I wish I could silence you like Onee-sama did earlier."_

"What did they do to my son?" Grayfia worriedly asked.

Sirzechs gave her hand a comforting squeeze as he addressed the room. "While this is a surprise, it's not completely unexpected. There is a little known technique, something powerful **[Sacred Gear]** are capable of, where they alter the DNA of their host and change them into a form more suitable to hold their power. In a drastic situation an individual can sacrifice and arm, an eye, or any part of their body in order to gain a sudden increase in power. Millicas… that is, Ambrose most likely underwent this transformation in order to survive the process of integrating with his **[Sacred Gear]** , or perhaps it happened during his fight with Saffron. Rias-chan, you should take note of this because the **[Boosted Gear]** has been known to accept a sacrifices from its host in exchange for greater strength. If your **[Pawn]** isn't careful, he could lose himself entirely to this process, including his mind. Many former wielders of the **[Boosted Gear]** suffered this horrible fate and became an uncontrollable Juggernaut."

"Yes, Onii-sama" Rias dutifully replied with far more humility than Sona had seen in her before. "I'll be sure to warn Issei and then train him sufficiently so that he'll have no need for such drastic measures."

"As far as how Ambrose received his holy power and **[Sacred Gear]** , I believe both you and he provided the answers." Sirzechs said to Sona surprise. "In your report on the abandoned church in Kuoh, you described a **[Sacred Gear]** extractor; a device that was used to steal the **[** **Twilight Healing** **]** from Asia Argento where it was then implanted in a Fallen Angel. We believe that this **[Sacred Gear]** extractor was the device Valper Galilel stole from the Grigori, and we know that he's currently working with rouge Fallen Angels. With this device he could extract the holy **[Sacred Gear]** from a human and then implant it into my son, granting him holy power. I had guessed that Ambrose's holy power comes from his **[Sacred Gear]** , so I decided to test my hypothesis. During the Rating Game he was forbidden from using his holy power, yet he never once summoned his **[Sacred Gear]**. In fact, he's been rather secretive when it comes to it. And so I ask you Sona, as the only one who's actually seen his **[Sacred Gear]** : What is his **[Sacred Gear]**? Is that where his holy power comes from?"

" _Oh fuck!"_ Sona privately thought, desperate to keep herself from showing her fear. She couldn't tell them the truth; that Ambrose, her fiance who was now revealed to be the son of Maō Lucifer, was the inheritor of the power of the Biblical God and the ancient enemy of her entire race. Given the situation, there was only one answer she could provide. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."

"Sona!" Empusa suddenly exclaimed before scolding her daughter. "Maō Lucifer, the leader of our people, asked you a direct question. You had best answer him, young lady."

"I can't and I won't." Sona firmly replied, vowing to remain faithful to her fiance. "Am-chan asked me never to reveal it. I will not betray his trust!"

Sirzechs quickly interrupted Empusa, ending her impending bluster. "It's alright, she doesn't have to answer me. In fact, I approve of her loyalty to my son and it's heartening to know that he has someone like her in his life. The truth is that she doesn't have to tell me what his **[Sacred Gear]** is because the answer is perfectly obvious. He holds the **[** **Sephiroth Graal** **]** , also known as The Holy Grail of the Secluded World; one of the most powerful holy artifacts and a Longinus that's capable of raising the dead. That is how he was able to resurrect Issei Hyoudou and Asia Aregento."

Despite the fact that Maō Lucifer was wrong about Ambrose's **[Sacred Gear]** , Sona didn't have the luxury of feeling any sort of relief. In fact, she was overwhelmed by a startling revelation. _"The **[Master Key]** is the culmination of all the powers of every **[Sacred Gear]**. Am-chan has been unknowingly mimicing the power of the **[** **Sephiroth Graal** **]** to resurrect the dead."_

Sirzechs turned to Sona and said, "It was wise of you both to keep it a secret, in fact I strongly encourage you both to continue to do so. I just wish my son was here with you so I could convince him of the truth about his lineage."

"While you've quelled some of my doubts as to his origins, convincing him will be easier said then done." Sona replied to her would-be be father-in-law. "He's been resistant to the idea whenever I've brought it up. I imagine he would also be worried about the implications and reactions from all of the Factions, including the Devil Nation, should it be revealed that a devil can wield holy power."

"While I can't speak for the other Factions, I can assure you that he would be welcomed into this family with open arms should he wish to reconnect with us." Sirzechs pledged. "And as far as his ability to wield holy power, I swear that we will protect him and keep his secret; even if he doesn't want to rejoin the family."

"What do you mean, 'should he wish to reconnect'?!" Zeoticus asked in confusion and outrage. "Are you suggesting we allow him to remain alone? He's my grandson, of course he'll be rejoining the family!"

Sirzechs shook his head before replying to his father. "We have no right to force this on him, we've been absent in his life for too long. It's his choice."

"We have every right! He's a Gremory, and as Lord Gremory it's my duty to see him returned to where he belongs!" Zeoticus heatedly exclaimed.

"He's my son." Sirzechs firmly replied, giving his father a harsh look before it softened a bit. "And while I too wish we could all be a family again… I'm simply too relieved to know he's alive after all these years. I can be happy with that."

"If you want me to convince him, and I mean _really_ convince him of who he is, then give me the sample of his unaltered DNA." Sona said, gaining the attention of the entire room. "Am-chan knows his DNA has been altered, but he also has a sample of his original DNA from before it was changed."

Maō Lucifer and the Gremory Clan looked at her in both surprise and a bit of hope.

"You're certain he's able to run a genetic comparison on his own?" Sirzechs asked, surprised that his son was capable of such a thing.

"Absolutely, and he would be more inclined to believe it if we could provide him with hard evidence and then allow him to run the tests on his own." Sona firmly replied. "In addition, I ask that you let me tell him and then give him some time to come to terms with it."

Maō Lucifer and the entire Gremory Clan looked at each other before reaching a silent decision.

"I suppose that would be for the best." Sirzechs hesitantly replied. "What ever he decides, he needs to know the truth about his past. Someone else might make the connection of his origins, so he'll have to be aware of the dangers and the risks."

"If he were with us, then we could protect him; better than he can protect himself." Zeoticus grudgingly protested.

Grayfia suddenly broke away from the group, solemnly approaching Sona while clutching something in her hand. "Ever since I lost my son, I've never taken this off. It's my way of always keeping a part of him with me."

The maid and **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer took Sona's hand and enclosed a small object within her palm. Curiously, Sona opened her hand to see a chain adorned with a silver locket. She reverently opened it to see a tiny lock of crimson hair, looking as if it had been haphazardly gathered as an afterthought. _"She probably collected this_ _soon_ _after he went missing from an old_ _comb._ _"_

It was then she saw something hiding behind the small lock of hair. Embedded in the locket was a picture of Millicas, of Ambrose as a child with that same carefree smile she had seen so often.

" _It's true. It's really is true. He is Millicas."_ Sona realized as she gazed in wonder at a much younger version of her fiance. _"Maō, how old is he in this picture? Five? Six?"_

"Lady Sona." Grayfia softly said, gaining her attention. "I now entrust this to you, just as I entrust my son's future to you. What ever he decides, please take care of him."

"I promise I will take care of him." Sona sincerely assured the **[Queen]** of Maō Lucifer and her future mother-in-law. "And I promise to return this locket to you. With any luck I'll return your son to you as well."

* * *

" _Where is he?"_ Sona wondered as she paced along the train station platform. _"He said that he would be waiting here for me."_

Presently, both Sona's and Rias's peerage had gathered at the train station, ready to board the Gremory's private train to the human realm. In addition, Maō Leviathan, Maō Lucifer, and Grayfia were also waiting on the platform, along with the Lords and Ladies of both Sitri and Gremory Clans. Needless to say, their presence had gathered a significant amount of attention. Although the denizens were fascinated to see the heads of two Pillars and the Maōs gather together so publicly, to Sona this was a regular occurrence whenever they would head back to school. There were, however, two differences from every other time they left for school; first was the fact that school was already in session and the two peerages decided to take an impromptu absence. The second, and more subtle difference, was that the entire party was discretely looking around the platform, waiting for Ambrose but trying hard not to be too obvious about it.

"Sona!"

She heard the familiar voice of her fiance and turned to find him lightly jogging up to meet her with that carefree smile on his face; her mind couldn't help but recall the picture in the locket she now carried.

"I'm glad you managed to get here." Ambrose said to her as he reached for her hand.

"You're late." Sona replied with a teasing smile and then gave his hand a squeeze. "I thought you said you would be waiting for me here?"

"Couldn't be avoided, I had some business to attend to." He replied as an excuse. "It took a bit longer than I thought."

"Oh, what business?" She asked, honestly curious.

"Well, I had to pick up those supplies I needed for my potions." Ambrose replied with a smile.

"Oh, Maō. I completely forgot." Sona apologetically replied. "I'm so sorry."

"It's quite alright. Given everything that's happened, I thought it best if I purchase the supplies myself." Ambrose said before giving her a rather concerned look. "How did it all turn out?"

"You're about to find out for yourself." Sona replied as she spied her parents coming up to greet them.

"There he is!" Lady Sitri said in a cheery tone that Sona found to be rather unctuous. "Well don't just stand there, Sona. Introduce us."

Sona wanted to huff in annoyance at her mother's fawning behavior; however, her upbringing forbade it.

Instead, she decided to show her irritation by introducing her parents to Ambrose in the most exceedingly formal manner as possible. "My Lord and Lady Sitri, I would like to introduce you to my fiance, Ambrose the Dragon Slayer. Ambrose, please meet my father Lord Sitri, Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health. And this is my mother, Lady Sitri of..."

"Yes, yes, there's no need to get _that_ formal, Sona." Empusa interrupted, gently scolding her before turning her attention back to Ambrose. "After all, we're all family now."

Sona clenched her jaw in frustration, _"You say that, mother. Yet it was only a few hours ago when you were expounding on the benefits his death would bring to our Clan and others…."_

"Shitori Sitri." Sona's father said, humbly introducing himself as he held his hand out. "A pleasure to meet you, son."

Ambrose shook the offered hand in greeting and replied. "The pleasure is all mine."

"I understand you have some skill in medicine." Shitori casually mentioned. "If you like, I could give you a tour of one of our hospitals the next time you're in the Underworld. You could see how we apply medicine and magic in this realm; you might learn a thing or two."

"Yes, you simply must stay with us next time you come to the Underworld." Empusa interjected, eager to ingratiate herself to the lost son of Maō Lucifer.

"I don't see why he can't stay at his own home." Serafall suddenly spoke up as she joined the group.

"Hello, Levi-tan." Ambrose greeted the Maō with a warm smile. "Thank you for looking after Sona. I know you would have looked after her anyways, even if I hadn't asked you to. But still, thank you all the same."

"Hmph." Serafall huffed in response. "You may have gotten Daddy's and Mama's approval, but you still don't have mine. I had better not catch you sleeping with my So-tan again."

"Onee-sama!" Sona yelled out in alarm, horrified to have her personal business aired out in public like that.

"Why, of course they can sleep together." Empusa enthusiastically replied. "In fact, he's more than welcome to share a room with Sona when they return to the Underworld."

"MOTHER!" Sona loudly shouted in embarrassment.

"No he can't!" Serafall vehemently argued back. "He can't sleep in the same bed with her, So-tan is mine!"

"The three of us could always sleep in the same bed together." Ambrose replied, recalling the time in the future where they had a sleep over.

"WHAT?!" Serafall cried out loud, her face turning bright red.

"I certainly don't mind." Sona quickly acquiesced in order to prevent the group from making a further scene. "So long as it keeps you two from fighting."

"S-Sona?" Serafall question, looking at her in complete disbelief. "Are… Are you serious?"

"Of course." Sona replied, seeing nothing wrong with another sleep over. "It'll be fun, and a great way for you to get to know your Onii-chan."

Serafall began to stutter and stammer, unable to get anything intelligible out.

"Are you alright, Levi-tan?" Ambrose asked her in concern.

"I'm Fine!" Serafall shouted back before finally getting ahold of herself. "I'm fine..."

"Well, we had best be on our way." Sona said, desiring to get away before another scene was created. "We don't want the train to leave without us."

"Levi-tan, Lord and Lady Sitri, it was a pleasure to meet you all." Ambrose replied, giving them a respectful bow.

"Please, you can call us by our first names and can consider us your in-laws." Shitori earnestly replied. "Look after my little girl."

"Of that you can be assured." Ambrose said with a smile.

"Good bye, dear boy." Empusa said, giving him two exaggerated kisses on both his cheeks. "I look forward to having you over for your next visit."

Serafall crossed her arms and obstinately said, "Don't expect to get any kisses from me."

"Would you at least consider giving me a chance?" Ambrose worriedly asked, no doubt concerned about her answer. "I'd really like it if you saw me as your Onii-chan."

Serafall's look softened and her eyes took on a thoughtful look before shyly replying. "I'll give you a chance, but only because Sona asked me to..."

"I'm happy to hear that Levi-tan." Ambrose replied with a relieved smile.

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona gratefully replied before giving her sister a kiss on the cheek. "We had best get going."

The couple waved goodbye to Sona's parents and blushing sister as they headed for the train.

"Looks like everything with your parents have been settled." Ambrose observed. "I take it you're still heiress apparent of Clan Sitri."

"Yes." Sona simply answered as she privately mused. _"The only reason I held on to my title was because of you, Am-chan, and who your parents are. Once the Gremory Clan had revealed your origins, Empusa was quick to throw her full support behind the engagement and reinstate me back as the heiress apparent. Not that mother had much choice in the matter. After damaging her reputation with the Gremory Clan, supporting our engagement is the least she could do."_

"Is it wrong that part of me is disappointed?" Ambrose asked her with a teasing grin. "I was looking forward to being the bread winner of our household."

"Sorry to disappoint you." Sona grinned in response, before she recalled an important detail. "Speaking of 'bread winning', you said you purchased the supplies you needed for your potions, yet yesterday we were broke. How did you get the funds so quickly?"

"I paid a visit to the Phenex Clan this morning." Ambrose casually mentioned, causing alarm bells to ring in Sona's mind.

"You went to the Phenex Clan for money?" Sona could help but ask, her eyes wide in shock.

"I went to deliver them their jusendo water, as well as pick up a vial of their tears." Ambrose replied, unconcerned about her worry. "I also sold them a few extra liters of the magical water for some spending money."

"I'll have to teach you how to formally request a meeting with a member of the Pillars." Sona said, hoping to avoid an incident in the future. "While I know you have a business deal with them, it's impolite to show up unannounced; especially so soon after their defeat. I hope they weren't too upset with your unexpected arrival."

"Actually, they were rather polite; exceedingly polite, in fact." Ambrose offhandedly mentioned. "A bit like how your mother just was."

" _No doubt the Phenex Clan read today's paper, and were keen to get on your good side."_ Sona quickly deduced. _"Am-chan, you're probably the only person in the Underworld who doesn't know at this point..."_

Their departure was soon halted by Rias, along with Maō Lucifer and the entire Gremory Clan, who intercepted them just as they were boarding the train. Although Sona had been expecting this, she couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive.

"All set to go, Ambrose?" Rias cheerfully asked with her peerage in tow. "We were all worried you might miss the train."

"Yes, all set." Ambrose uncomfortably replied, uncertain on how regard Rias.

"Maō..." Rias whined as she noticed his reluctance, "Don't be like that. Not after everything we've been through."

Rather than risk the conversation devolving into an uncomfortable scene, Sona decided to speak up. "Thank you Rias, for allowing the use of your family's train."

"Every time we go to the human world you say that." Rias replied with a smile, rolling her eyes at her friends courtesy. "We're all going to the same destination anyways… Oh, I know! We should all share the same rail car!"

" _Honestly, Rias. You could at least show a bit of tact."_ Sona couldn't help but think before replying. "Thank you for the offer; however, I believe it would be best if my peerage rode in my Clan's private car."

Rias frowned in reply, before taking on a sly smile. "Yes, I suppose you two have a lot to talk about."

Ambrose turned and gave Sona a confused look, to which she shook her head in a silent gesture that it would be discussed later.

"Ambrose," Maō Lucifer suddenly spoke up, gesturing that he wished to speak with him in private. "A word with you?"

As Sirzechs and Grayfia lead their long lost son away from the group, Sona couldn't help but notice that her fiance's posture was a bit rigid and on guard. After giving the group a second look, she could tell that Maō Lucifer and Grayfia seemed a bit stiff as well.

"I know you and Rias have had a your differences," Sirzechs began, leaning in close so as not to be overheard, "but I'd like to ask you to give her a second chance, as a personal favor to me."

Ambrose raised an eyebrow at the unusual request, "How many chances do you think someone should get, considering what she tried to do?"

"Do you dislike the idea of being a devil?" Sirzechs unexpectedly asked, looking as if he were afraid of the answer.

"I'm engaged to a devil, and so I don't judge the entire devil race based on your sister's actions. But Rias… she tried to enslave me, that is not something that is forgiven so easily. In the interest of civility, I think it would be best if things remained… transactional between the two of us." Ambrose replied to the Maō, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pouch of gold coins. "Speaking of which, I believe I owe this to you. Thank you for the loan."

Sirzechs took a moment and looked at the offered money before gently accepting it without protest. "I have something for you as well." Maō Lucifer said, holding out a flier with his signet on it. "If you have any problems with Rias… or wish to talk to me for any reason, I'll be available for you."

Ambrose looked at the offered flier with a bit of confusion for a moment before he accepted it.

"Thank you." He politely said, "Well, I had best head for the train before it leaves without me."

"I think the train would wait if I asked them to." Sirzechs jokingly commented.

"I suppose they would." Ambrose said, chuckling a bit.

"Please, have a safe trip, Ambrose-sama." Grayfia said with a formal bow.

"We both hope to see you again soon." Sirzechs added, standing next to his wife.

Ambrose simply nodded in reply, before rejoining Sona and taking her hand. As they entered the Sitri private rail car, Sona couldn't help but notice that her peerage was strangely silent and giving her and Ambrose discrete looks of interest.

Ambrose, who had suddenly became aware of their scrutiny, unexpectedly asked her. "What's wrong with Saji, and why is he sitting in such a strange manner?"

"Just some peerage business." Sona offhandedly mentioned. "Nothing you need to worry about."

Ambrose simply shrugged and let out an exhausted sigh as the couple took their seats. "That scene on the platform was really weird; first your parents and then the Gremory's. What exactly have I missed?"

" _Far too much."_ Sona privately thought.

"I'll tell you when we get home." Sona simply replied as she hugged his arm close and rested her head on his shoulder. _"I only hope you believe it."_


	23. Season 2, Chapter 1

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

"I don't believe it."

" _Of course you don't."_ Sona thought to herself, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

After arriving in the human world, the couple had made their way to Ambrose's home without too much trouble.

" _Though Rias certainly made an attempt to suck up before we parted her company."_ She thought, privately recalling her friend's fawning behavior.

The pair then left the company of both peerages before they headed for Ambrose's home in order to have their private discussion. While Sona was hesitant to actually begin the conversation, she could tell he was quite eager to hear everything she had to say. Just as she predicted, the conversation had not been easy on either of them. Ambrose appeared to be quite agitated after she informed him of all that she had learned. As she explained his possible origins, he started pacing back so much that she thought he might wear down the floor, and now that she had finished her tale he seemed to be on the defensive. However, unlike her previous attempts to discuss this sensitive topic with her fiance, she was armed with evidence and she was determined to confront him with it.

"You said that you would consider the possibility that you might be a devil if there were a way to explain how one could wield holy power." Sona reminded her fiance. "Maō Lucifer explained the whole thing. Since the Biblical God is dead, Heaven's System has been breaking down and creating anomalies. This allowed a devil, namely you, to be implanted with the **[Master Key]** , hence how you have holy power."

"Non." Ambrose denied, shaking his head. "Maō Lucifer can't know that for certain. He is wrong about my **[Sacred Gear]** , he could be wrong about how I got this power. He could be wrong about a lot of things. He isn't providing answers, he just has theories and conjectures. There must be dozens of holy **[Sacred Gears]** , so why the **[Master Key]**? Why the soul of the Biblical God? How did this Valper know how to find it, and why would someone choose to put the **[Master Key]** in a devil?"

"I don't know Am-chan, I don't have all the answers! None of us do!" Sona emphatically stated, feeling a bit annoyed with his stubbornness. She took a moment to calm down before continuing. "Maō Lucifer never specifically mentioned the death of the Biblical God, it's quite possible he was hiding other secrets too. But you can't deny the fact that he has a very promising theory; in addition, he also has evidence to back up some of his claims. Your fingerprints are a perfect match to his son's, and the half of your DNA that wasn't altered by the Biblical God matches Millicas's as well. If you don't believe me, then test it on your own unaltered sample for yourself."

Ambrose clenched his eyes shut and cursed in French. " _Merde_ [Shit], I should never have let my guard down around that woman!"

"Am-chan, she's not some woman who plans to use you for nefarious purposes, she's your mother!" Sona yelled, surprised at his tone. "She only wanted to reunite with her son!"

Ambrose was silent for a moment before he unceremoniously fell onto the couch, taking a deep breath in order to calm himself. "We should focus on Kokabiel, he's probably days away from attacking."

His attempt to change the topic was so abrupt that Sona couldn't help but balk for a moment, nevertheless she wasn't about to let him avoid the issue. "Am-chan, you can't ignore this problem anymore."

"I'm so glad to hear you admit that it's a problem." Ambrose glibly responded without hesitation. "But you are wrong; this is a problem I can ignore."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can." Her fiance stubbornly insisted. "And I can do so with their permission. You said so yourself; they're going to let me choose what to do about all this. I _'choose'_ to ignore it and to go on with my life. This entire mess with the Rias, Maō Lucifer, and the Gremory Clan has been nothing but a distraction to our larger goal. You remember, don't you? Changing the future and preventing the end of all life as we know it."

"You're wrong, none of this has been a distraction and in the end we've benefited helping Rias. You're now a producer of the Phenex Tear Elixir, and we have another site for a sanctuary for surviving devils." Sona reminded him, hoping her patient tone would ease his irritability. "All of which will help us for the upcoming war..."

Ambrose tersely interrupted her, his tone becoming curt as his irritation grew. "Helping Rias was your idea, and we stood to gain very little by doing so. In fact, you almost lost everything by helping her. Acquiring the recipe for the Phenex Tear Elixir and a site for a new sanctuary were opportunities that I took advantage of. And while stocking up on potions and making another sanctuary is proactive, I'd rather use our foreknowledge to prevent the entire war from happening in the first place."

"And what about the Gremory's? About your parents?" Sona continued press. "They've gone ten years without their son. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

 **"** _Je m'en fiche_ _ _!__ _Je m'en fous_! [I don't care! I don't give a fuck!]" Ambrose angrily yelled in his 'native language' before taking a moment to calm himself **.** "I've taken care of myself for centuries in the worst conditions imaginable, I have no need for parents to tell me to 'brush my teeth' and 'do my homework'. Even if what they say is true, what did you expect to happen? That we would have some sort of tearful reunion that ends with a big group hug? Sorry to disappoint you, but there is no 'happily ever after' in this tale; the world is about to end."

"Fine then, we'll discuss Kokabiel." Sona crisply yielded for now, though vowing to return to the topic later. "How do you suggest we proceed from here?"

He let out a sigh in order to release his own frustration before he continued in a slightly calmer tone. "That depends. We've given the Maōs all the evidence we can in regards to Kokabiel's plans for the Excalibur Fragments. That should have gotten the Three Factions talking. Did you happen to ask Onee-san if any progress has been made on that front?"

Sona winced before she hesitantly replied. "Talks between the Three Factions have ceased. Heaven doesn't believe that their Excalibur Fragments are in any danger, and the Grigori want to find and question Kokabiel on their own."

Ambrose rolled his eyes and muttered in French. " _ _Chacun voit midi à sa porte.__ [Everyone sees noon at his door.]"

While the Devil power of **[Language]** provided a literal translation, a more intimate understanding of a language was needed in order to interpret euphemisms. Sona took this expression to mean something along the lines of, "Everyone is focuses on what's in front of them before they consider how it affects everyone else."

"It seems that we can no longer rely on the Maōs to solve this problem." Ambrose decisively stated after a moment of thought. "We have to take matters into our own hands."

 _"I suppose it was too much to hope that the Maōs would handle Kokabiel on their own."_ Sona thought as gave a disappointed sigh. "Kokabiel is a Cadre class Fallen Angel and is bound to have some of his followers helping him. While you and I can take care of ourselves, I'm afraid the others might not fare so well. Do you have any ideas that could give us an advantage?"

"I do." Ambrose replied, giving her a smile. "I've been thinking about the other two timelines we learned about, and I believe we've overlooked something. In both timelines, a group of exorcists precede Kokabiel's arrival. Remember? They come looking for him and the 'holy artifacts' that his Fallen Angel scouts left behind. But we know the truth, the 'holy artifacts' they're looking for are actually the stolen pieces of Excalibur. In addition, we also know that they come to Kuoh with their own Excalibur Fragments and they plan to use them against Kokabiel. Kokabiel, however, plan's to kill them, steal the fragments that they bring, and then use the additional pieces to make his own reforged Excalibur even stronger. I say we help exorcists complete their mission and work together with them."

"You want to help exorcists? From the church?" Sona asked in disbelief.

"Why not? If we aid the exorcists then we would deny Kokabiel the resources." Ambrose reasoned. "Plus if we save the lives of these exorcists then it might pave the way to an actual alliance, or at the very least we would have two people within the Church who owe us their lives."

"Helping exorcists and aiding the Church is treason!" Sona alarmingly exclaimed. "I just barely managed to hold on to my title as heiress apparent! Do you know what the penalty for treason is?!"

"What? Death?" Ambrose asked in a dismissive tone. "I can cure death."

"Am-chan, there are fates worse than death!" Sona shouted out, aghast that he was even considering this path. "My sister and your father won't be able to protect us!"

"He is not my father!" Ambrose loudly protested. "And I never asked for his protection! I don't need it!"

"Like it or not, he is your father!" Sona heatedly argued back. "And you can't deny it anymore! You think these exorcists are going to work with the Son of Maō Lucifer?"

Ambrose flinched at that last remark. "Please don't call me that."

"You're a devil and the Church hate devils on sheer principle!" Sona yelled as she continued to vehemently lectured her fiance. "Having exorcists here in Kuoh will be dangerous enough without getting involved in their business; in fact, I'd be surprised if they didn't attack us on sight!"

"They would have no cause to attack me." Ambrose firmly stated with absolute certainty. "It isn't as if they have any reason to suspect me of being anything but a magician."

She couldn't help but cringe.

"What?" Ambrose asked, almost dreading the answer.

Sona didn't reply, she simply opened her bag and put today's newspaper on the coffee table in front of him.

Ambrose quickly stood up and snatched the paper. He then stared at the headline and picture for a moment before he painfully closed his eyes as if physically struck. " _PUTAIN_ _!_ _Putain de_ _B_ _ordel de_ _M_ _erde!_ _ _C'est le__ _ _B__ _ _ordel__ _ _i__ _ _ci!__ [FUCK! Fucking Whorehouse of Shit! What a Whorehouse This Is!]"

"Would you please stop swearing?" Sona asked, taking off her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. "Euphemisms don't translate well and I'm pretty sure you don't live in a brothel of excrement."

Ambrose didn't reply to her comment. Instead he angrily clutched the paper in his fist and waved it around in front of her. "Is this what Maō Lucifer meant when he said he would let me choose?! Is this how he keeps a secret, by putting it in the paper for everyone to see?! There are high ranking magicians who get news from the Underworld! It won't be long until the entire magical community knows of this … mess!"

"In full disclosure, he only said he would keep your holy power a secret." Sona futility replied, knowing that that would in no way pacify her fiance. "The choice was whether or not you would rejoin the Gremory Clan."

"This Is Not A Choice!" Ambrose angrily yelled, gesturing to the paper. "This Is Blackmail! He Has Ruined Me! I will be kicked out of magical society, branded as a devil, and be forced to join the Gremory Clan so as not to be labeled as a stray!"

"It's won't be that bad." Sona calmly said, trying to sound reassuring. "Devils do hold a prominent place in magical society."

"Only in certain magical circles." Ambrose sharply pointed out, "Grauzauberer is led by Mephisto Pheles, while the Golden Dawn is led by MacGregor Mathers. Those are the only two circles that are affiliated with Devils. Magicians specifically join those groups so they can apply for pacts with devils; it's like a recruiting agency. I'm an alchemist, I joined Rosicrucianism where we focus on science and magic."

"Rosicrucianism, or Rose of the Cross, is affiliated with the Church..." Sona deadpanned, giving her fiance a rather accusing look. "When were you planning on telling me this?"

"They're barely tied to the church." Ambrose explained, waving his hand dismissively as if it wasn't a big deal. "It was secretly founded by Galileo who had to hide the majority of his works because the Church had tried him for heresy earlier in his life. The Church has always had a dim view of magicians, and Rosicrucianism is the only circle of magicians that they turn a blind eye to. Today it's just a group of magicians and alchemists who engage in a constant battle of nerd one-upmanship."

"It was founded by Galileo? You wouldn't happen to mean Galileo Galilei, Valper's ancestor, would you?" Sona rhetorically asked with an expressionless face.

"Stop… just stop." Ambrose hastily said, holding up his hand. "I know what you're suggesting but it's not what you think it is. I didn't join Rosicrucianism until after I finished my education at the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery. Besides, from my point of view it's been centuries since I became a member, and they provided many advantages. I could study magic without the oversight of Heaven or the association of the Underworld, and they also have an amazing library of advanced texts in alchemy… plus it was easy for me to get in because I can wield holy power.

"So they know you have holy power?" Sona asked with a blank face. _"_ _T_ _his is getting worse and worse."_

"Why would I have kept it a secret?" Ambrose rhetorically asked. "I only found out about the **[Master Key]** after I created my time machine. I had no idea I had **[Sacred Gear]** before then, I just naturally assumed it was my own power."

"How long ago did you create your time machine?" Sona couldn't help but wonder. "Not from your point of view, but in linear time."

"About three months ago." Ambrose answered. "I only reason I ever came back was to place those markers and purchase the land I needed to create Oasis. Ever since my first trip in time I've been dedicating myself to prevent that horrible future from occurring. I never wanted… THIS!" He yelled, throwing the paper down on the coffee table. "I don't care about my past, I don't care about the Gremory's! I only care about saving the future! And if I have to break a few rules to ensure that life as we know it continues then that's a price I will gladly pay!"

"You have to understand that helping the Church isn't just a social taboo." Sona asked, trying to get him to see reason. "Am-chan, you're suggesting we become traitors to the Devil Nation."

Ambrose gave a disappointed sigh as he gravely shook his head. "Sometimes I forget how young you are, how much you differ from when I first met you."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Sona heated asked, feeling rather insulted.

"When I first met you in the future, you had already lost everything you had and everything you held dear. You were broken but, in a way you were also free; there was nothing holding you back except your own doubts." Ambrose explained to her. "Now, you're confident in yourself but you're held back by all these trappings of society. You're constantly trying to save everyone, but if you try to protect everything then you'll wind up with nothing to protect. Just like in chess, there are sacrifices to be made. Sona, I've shown you the future, you know this is like no other war in history. Things won't eventually settle down and balance itself out after a few decades or centuries. If we fail then everyone will die and the only survivors who will exist will be because of our actions. What is treason when compared to the complete destruction of both worlds?"

"Am-chan, I've already disgraced myself enough by getting involved with Rias's engagement. Now you want me to become a traitor to my race? No, we can't provide aid to the Church! There must be another way!" Sona emphatically pleaded, begging for him to understand.

"So you're willing to lose your standing with your family in order to save Rias, but you won't commit treason to save your own people?" Ambrose sarcastically asked. "It's good to know where your boundaries are."

"This isn't about me!" Sona yelled back, upset with his acerbic tone. "You want me to say you were right? Fine, you were right! Helping Rias crossed a line, and I was prepared to accept the consequences of my actions. But now I know better and this entire ordeal with Rias has reminded me that my choices affect others as well. If I had been cast as a stray then my entire peerage would have as well! They would all have a death sentences hanging over their heads because of my choices! We have enough obstacles as it is; we shouldn't endanger the lives of what few allies we have, nor should we abandon the Devil Nation and betray the trust of the Maōs just to save a few members of the church. We'll can find another way to get the three factions talking, but if peace is going to happen between them then it has to come from the Maōs."

"Sona, I'm doing this. I'm going to help those exorcists from the church when they arrive." Ambrose resolutely vowed to both her and to himself. "You say we don't have enough allies, yet you're unwilling to work with these exorcists simply because it'll upset a society that's already fated to fall. Isn't it possible to do the wrong thing, yet be completely right? Isn't that how devils first came to exist in the first place?"

"Am-chan, if you do this..." Sona began, forcing the words to come out as they lodged themselves in her throat. "If you do this then I can't do it with you… And I won't be able to protect you from the consequences of your actions."

Ambrose simply looked at her in stunned disbelief, his mouth opened but no sound came out before he closed it again. His gaze shifted to the crumpled newspaper before his face hardened to a determined expression. "Then I'll do it on my own."

His words hit her like a ton of bricks, and she suddenly felt completely adrift and alone.

" _This is it."_ Sona morosely thought, her heart breaking as she fiercely held back her tears. _"The honeymoon's over."_

With nothing else to say or do, Sona dejectedly stood up and made her way out. As she reached the foyer, she paused for a moment before leaving Grayfia's locket on the front door table. Unable to control herself anymore, she quickly teleported back to her apartment so that she could hide the tears that now fell from her eyes.

* * *

 **BEEP BEEP BEEP**

Sona stared at her bedroom ceiling while blindly reaching out from her bed to silenced her alarm clock. At this moment, she felt that having a wake up call was quite useless considering she failed to get a moment of sleep the entire night, despite crying for many hours. She felt more alone now than she ever did before, and wondered what all this meant for the future.

She couldn't help but scoff at the mere thought of the word: _'future'_.

She had spent every waking moment with her fiance for over a year in that horrible apocalyptic future; yet despite all the trials they went through, now it seemed like a vacation.

" _It was so easy then, being together without everything else in the way. Just the two of us versus the monsters."_ Sona privately thought. _"I suppose that's what he means by distractions. Life or perhaps fate itself is interfering with what we're trying to accomplish. Only now… we're so far apart from each other… We weren't suppose to be fighting each other, we were suppose to be a team."_

Regardless of her melancholy and how she much she loved him, she couldn't help him commit treason against the Devil Nation. Saving the future was important to Sona; however, she wasn't willing to sacrifice the present in order to do so. Unfortunately, it seemed her troubles were compounded because now she not only had to save the future, but save her love from himself.

After getting up to face the day, Sona began to easily fall within her morning routine and soon her **[Queen]** , Tsubaki, arrived to prepare their breakfast before school.

"Will Ambrose be joining us for breakfast?" Tsubaki unexpectedly asked as she entered her apartment while carrying a number of grocery bags.

"No, I'm afraid not." Sona simply answered, not quite sure what to say about their recent falling-out.

"That's a shame." Tsubaki commented as she began to unpack the groceries she brought. "I had purchased some extra food for him this morning. He had mentioned that he didn't know how to make a traditional Japanese breakfast, so I had thought it might be fun to teach him."

"Oh, how thoughtful of you." Sona absently replied, not really wanting to talk about Ambrose at the moment.

"So, how did he take the news?" Tsubaki asked with a smile and light blush, no doubt fishing for gossip. "I imagine it was quite the shock for him, realizing that he's actually a devil and the lost son of Maō Lucifer. You can imagine how Reya and Tsubasa are taking the news."

" _Perhaps they're plotting to insert themselves into his life by fixing him breakfast?"_ Sona bitterly thought before she ruthlessly stamped down on her own rising jealousy.

Tsubaki turned around, her smile then changing into a concerned look. "He didn't take it well, did he?"

"No, Ambrose is choosing to ignore it." Sona explained to her **[Queen]**. "He doesn't want to acknowledge what was discovered."

"Ambrose?" Tsubaki asked, her worry only increasing. "Not 'Am-chan'?"

Sona tightly clenched her fists in an effort to keep herself from crying. She couldn't exactly tell Tsubaki the entire truth, so she simply replied. "We got into a bit of an argument."

"Kaichō..." Tsubaki compassionately said as she reached to give her hand a comforting squeeze. "He probably just needs time to process everything, his entire world has been turned upside down."

" _Ironic, since his entire focus is on preventing the world from turning upside down on itself."_ Sona couldn't help but think. "Thank you, Tsubaki."

"Everything will be alright in the end." Tsubaki assured her with a smile. "You'll see."

" _I hope you're right..."_ Sona privately thought.

* * *

Throughout the day Sona and Tsubaki decided to take a page out of Ambrose's book and 'ignore the problem'. That is, they both had agreed to pretend that she and he didn't just have a rather heartbreaking argument. Tsubaki suggested that they go on as they normally would because she honestly believed they would work things out. However, Sona agreed simply because she didn't want to talk about it. While her **[Queen]** maybe right, that perhaps Ambrose may just need some time to adjust to his new standing, it didn't address his desire to aid members of the Church and his disregard for the penalties he would face for such actions.

Unfortunately, Sona soon discovered that not everyone was willing to ignore Ambrose's new social status. Before the first class began, she noticed her **[Bishop]** , Reya, attempt to give Ambrose a lunch bento in the hall, despite the fact that he always brought his own. Sona had also spied Tsubasa, who was currently a sophomore in class 2-B, hovering outside of her own classroom door in an attempt to build enough confidence to enter. A raised eyebrow was all it took for her **[Rook]** to make a hasty retreat. And while Ambrose had always been a source of eye candy for the girls of Kuoh Academy, Sona's close proximity to him had previously prevented any from approaching him. Now it seemed as if the single and not-so-single ladies had sensed there was tension between the couple and were circling around him like sharks, waiting to see which of them would strike first. The absolute worst, in Sona's mind, was the lascivious look that Akeno Himejima gave Ambrose when he passed her in the hallway. Watching the rival **[Queen]** lick her lips and unashamedly stare at his butt as he walked by was absolutely infuriating.

Most of all, it was a difficult reminder that her estranged fiance was, in fact, a Gremory and the potential for a harem forming around him was now a very real possibility.

" _Quite honestly, I'm not sure if I'm ready to deal with the reality of that myself."_ Sona privately thought, wishing that particular part of his origins could have remained a secret.

While Ambrose continued to ignore his new social status, Sona was not so lucky as she was practically ambushed in the Student Council Room during lunch. Rias Gremory, along her **[Queen]** Akeno, unexpectedly burst in the room in search of answers. It took all of Sona's willpower to resist glaring at Rias for the intrusion, and especially at Akeno for the desirous look she had given Ambrose earlier.

"So, did you tell him?" Rias asked with childlike glee as soon as she entered.

" _I really don't want to deal with this right now..."_ Sona thought as she sat behind the mountain of paperwork that had piled up in her absence. _"All the club rooms are due to be cleaned this afternoon, and I want to get as much work done as possible so this mess isn't hanging over me."_

"Sona?" Rias whined impatiently, "You did tell him, right?"

"Yes, I told him." Sona reluctantly admitted before futilely asking. "Can we just leave it at that?"

"What? No, of course not!" Rias insistently demanded. "You have to tell me what happened!"

Sona rose from her chair, took off her glasses, and made a show of cleaning them. Truthfully they weren't dirty, she simply wanted to buy herself some time in order to figure out what to say. "We sat down after we arrived at his house. I told him Maō Lucifer's theories, and that was it."

"That was it? And they're not theories!" Rias indignantly shouted. "We have proof! Didn't he test the sample?"

"He didn't seem interested in testing the sample." Sona regretfully told her childhood friend. "In fact, he wants to ignore the entire thing."

"No, he can't!" Rias emphatically insisted, shaking her head as if the very possibility of Ambrose denying her family was absurd. "He has to rejoin the Clan!"

"What do you mean, 'He has to rejoin the Clan'?" Sona asked her, trying not to look too accusatory.

"Well..." Rias awkwardly replied. "We put so much effort into all this… to make a good first impression… It'd be a shame if it all didn't work out."

" _You could at least attempt to lie convincingly, Rias."_ Sona thought, though she decided not to press the issue. _"Since it involves Ambrose then I'm bound to find out sooner or later."_

"Need I remind you that Ambrose is under no obligation to accept the Gremory Clan's offer?" Sona rhetorically asked her. "Maō Lucifer said that the choice was his."

"We never thought he would actually refuse..." Rias awkwardly replied in disbelief.

"Is that why your family announced it in the newspaper?" Sona asked with a raised eyebrow. "He was willing to ignore the entire thing at first, he wanted to simply go on as if nothing had changed. He only became upset after he saw the newspaper."

"That was my father's idea." Rias admitted with a touch of shame. "He's… quite eager to have his grandson rejoin the family."

"Yes, Lord Gremory seemed to be rather insistent on that issue yesterday morning." Sona recalled after a moment of thought. "Why is that?"

"Sorry, it's Clan business." Rias said with a shake of her head, refusing to answer.

"I'm his fiance" Sona reminded her friend and rival. "I'd say it's my business, Rias."

"Is he still your fiance?" Akeno 'innocently' spoke up with a calculating smile. "I've been hearing the most interesting rumors today."

" _I must not react. I must not show weakness."_ Sona kept repeating the mantra in her mind as she gave the opposing **[Queen]** a look of feigned confusion.

Akeno simply covered her mouth and giggled. "Fu Fu Fu."

Rias, who didn't seem to be paying attention to anyone else, was preoccupied with her own thoughts. "Maybe… maybe if I could sit down with him and discuss things..."

"That wouldn't be a good idea." Sona said, interrupting her voiced thoughts.

"Sona, you're not his personal secretary." Rias suddenly said in a scolding tone.

"Excuse me?" Sona asked in confusion.

"You've been keeping him all to yourself ever since he came to Kuoh." Rias replied with a touch of bitterness. "He's my nephew and I have every right to speak to him."

Although Sona knew what Rias meant when she accused her of _'Keeping Ambrose to herself'_ , she was once again reminded that she now might have to share her fiance in the future.

Needless to say, her anger was now roused. "You mean your nephew, who you tried to enslave?"

"That was just a misunderstanding." Rias said in a hasty verbal retreat. "I'm confident we'll be able to move past all that."

"That's not how he sees it." Sona sharply explained. "So before you go accusing me of 'keeping him away from you', you had best remember where you'd be if it wasn't for my assistance. That reminds me, how is Riser doing?"

"I'm sorry..." Rias contritely apologized. "It's just… this is really difficult for my family. Onii-sama will be crushed when he finds out..."

"This hasn't been easy on any of us." Sona morosely agreed.

"So, the rumors are true? You two had a fight?" Rias asked, covering her mouth in shock. "Oh Sona, I'm so sorry. He didn't… he didn't break the engagement, did he?"

"No." Sona denied with a shake of her head. "At least, I don't think so. We just… I'd rather not talk about it right now..."

"Of course." Rias uncomfortably replied, realizing she had broached a sensitive issue. "Well… I see you have a lot of work ahead, so I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you." Sona simply replied as she watched her rival **[King]** leave.

Sona sat back down at her desk, feeling rather dejected. While she was normally quite diligent, she currently couldn't find the motivation to actually do any work.

" _Everything's a mess."_ Sona thought, not only referring to her desk but the state of things in her life. _"It's been that way ever since he walked into my life..."_

While she would admit that Ambrose was the source of a lot of her recent problems, she wasn't willing to walk away.

" _He doesn't know what it means to be a member of the 33 Pillars. He doesn't know the responsibilities that comes with it. He doesn't know the consequences of aiding the Church… I can't abandon him, I have to save him from himself."_

"Kaichō." Tsubaki suddenly spoke up, breaking Sona from her thoughts. "I can handle things here, if you'd like to take a break."

"Thank you, Tsubaki." Sona gratefully replied. "I'll just go to the bathroom and freshen up. I'll meet you back in class."

After a short walk though the halls, Sona entered the girl's bathroom and splashed some water on her face from one of the sinks. Taking a moment to herself seemed to do the trick, and she began to feel a bit rejuvenated as she dried her face off with a paper towel. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a blurred reflection in the mirror and she was startled to realize that she wasn't alone.

"So, it's true." A brunette girl with golden eyes and glasses commented as she leaned against a bathroom stall stall.

Sona put her glasses back on before turning to the girl. She immediately recognized her by reputation alone; the perverted girl of Kuoh Academy. "Aika Kiryuu."

"I suppose I should be flattered." Aika casually commented with a bemused smile. "Kaichō noticed me."

"Was there something you wanted, Kiryuu-san?" Sona politely asked, eager to get back to her duties.

"I just wanted to see if it was true." Aika stated as a matter of factly. "And it appears the rumors are right for once. The King and Queen of Kuoh Academy are no more."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sona replied with a glare.

"No?" Aika rhetorically asked. "You two are joined at the hip for nearly a week, suddenly disappear for almost two weeks, and now you two aren't speaking. What happened? Did he find out that prim and proper Kaichō was a cold fish? You must have realized that there's always another girl who's willing to do the things you won't."

" _Always another girl who's willing to do the things you won't."_ The words echoed in Sona's worried mind. _"Would Am-chan find someone to replace me because I won't help him? Would he find someone to help him do the things that I can't… or I won't…?"_

"Or perhaps he simply got what he wanted from you and decided to move on to the next girl." Aika suggested as if she were talking about the weather. "Normally the ladies of Kuoh would leap to your defense, but Ambrose is hot, French, intelligent, charming, handsome… and according to my personal scans he's very well 'equipped'. Personally, I think all the girls are standing in line, waiting to try their own luck."

"What do you want?" Sona all but demanded, giving her a harsh glare.

"I told you, I wanted to see for myself if the rumors are true." Aika replied with a smile. "I want to know if it's safe to make my own move."

Sona approached Aika, getting so close she invaded her personal space. She reached out and cupped the girl's chin, gently enough not to crush the human yet firmly enough to impress the seriousness of her words. "Take my advice. Being next to my man is the most dangerous place you could be."

Rather than be intimidated, Aiki gave her an unexpected smile. "Then what are you waiting for? Go get him, and don't let anyone or anything separate you two."

Feeling a bit invigorated and resolved, Sona decided to do just that and made for the exit.

"And Kaichō." Aika called out to her, causing Sona to turn around. "Better not let him go again. Next time I might not bother checking to see if it's alright."

"Thanks for the warning." Sona replied, giving Aika a begrudgingly grateful smile. _"Now if I could only figure out how to hold onto him without betraying everything I am."_

* * *

" _Unfortunately answers don't come to us as easily as problems."_ Sona thought as she and her peerage had gathered for their daily training after school. _"Not that there was any alternative to training, what with our club room being closed for cleaning."_

Despite the fact that Sona's duties as Student Council President was falling behind, she felt that the training trip they had in the wilds of the Underworld was worth it and she was overall pleased by her servant's progress. Each of her peerage had fared well while they had trained in the wilderness and the experience allowed them to wield their unique abilities without being conscientious of a random human seeing them.

" _Right about now I'd love to act without restraint, I could really use something to vent my frustrations on."_ She couldn't help but think to herself.

However, any desire she had to vent was immediately suppressed when she spied her fiance waiting for her by the track. As bad as things were between them, she didn't want to complicate matters by letting her own frustrations sour things even further.

And so, she simply halted her run and steadily approached him.

"Hi." Sona said for lack of anything better.

It was the first time today they'd spoken.

"I brought a peace offering." Ambrose said, gesturing to a bag he carried.

"Oh?" She asked, internally cursing herself for sticking to such monosyllabic words.

"Remember 'The Witches Brew'? The potion I made which unlocks the ability to use magic, even if you have no affinity for that specific branch?" Ambrose asked while gesturing to the bag he carried. "Despite our disagreement last night, we both want the same thing. And, if you're determined to fight Kokabiel without the aid of the exorcists, then you'll need a helping hand."

"I take it you're still want to aid the exorcists." Sona couldn't help but ask; however, whatever answer he was going to give was halted when her peerage mistook their conversation as a cue to take a break.

"Ambrose-sama, have you come to visit us?" Reya excitedly asked with a bright smile as she and the rest of Sona's servants approached them.

"Please, you don't have to address me with the 'sama' suffix. Ambrose will do just fine." He uncomfortably replied. "I was just giving Sona-Kaichō something that will help with your training."

"Why?" Saji spoke up. "Your pact with Kaichō is over now, what with you being the son of Maō Lucifer."

"That's… another issue entirely." Ambrose replied, cringing when addressed as Lucifer's son. "I made a commitment to Sona-Kaichō, and I intend to keep it."

"Very admirable." Tsubasa said with a light blush. "A man should keep his word."

"What did you bring us?" Momo curiously asked.

"I've brought you all a potion that will help unlock your latent magical potential." Ambrose said, glossing over the fact that it also grants magic to those who don't have the capability. "With it, you'll find that you now have certain powers and abilities that you may not have had before."

"What do you mean?" Ruruko curiously wondered, looking at the bag.

"For those of you who are having trouble with magic, this potion will make it easier to access your powers." Ambrose patiently explained, "And for those of you who can wield magic, then this potion will make it easier to use branches of magic that you previously had trouble with. However, there is a price to this. In return for giving you this potion, I ask that you all repay me by not telling anyone I made this for you."

"We should probably find someplace more secluded in order to test this." Tsubaki said as she looked around for eavesdroppers.

With that suggestion, the entire group moved to the forest, where Sona's **[Bishops]** began to erect a barrier in order to keep Kuoh's student population unaware of the supernatural. Once completed, Ambrose began passing out individual doses of the potion to each of Sona's servants.

"So… this potion will grant us the ability to use branches of magic that we couldn't before?" Reya asked, looking at the green bottle in wonder.

"Some of it." Ambrose explained, "Some branches of magic, like Norse or Fairy magic, will still be unavailable. I do have a special potion for Fairy Magic, but that's going to take some extra time. There's also one for Djinn magic which will augment your powers, but the ingredients for that one is very rare; I wouldn't expect either any time soon. However, this potion will help you in other ways. I imagine that Sona-Kaichō will have no problem using fire magic after taking this potion, but it won't affect her ability to manipulate water."

"What are we waiting for? Time to power up!" Saji excitedly said before chugging the entire bottle.

"No! Wait!" Ambrose exclaimed in alarm, but it was too late.

Saji, who had just finished the entire potion, began to turn as green as the bottle. "Oh my Maō… I think I'm going to be sick. Tastes like dirt and frogs"

"Don't you dare throw up that potion, not after all that work I put into it!" Ambrose demanded, glaring at the impetuous **[Pawn]**. "It's an aerosol, you're not suppose to drink it!"

"What?!" Sona alarmingly asked. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine." Ambrose reassured her. "He'll still be able to enjoy the benefits of the potion..."

"I'm not enjoying this..." Saji woefully interrupted.

"..so long as he doesn't throw it up." Ambrose continued. "It can be ingested; however, due to the taste I decided to make it an aerosol."

" **BARRPP** " The miserable **[Pawn]** belched loudly, causing a rainbow of sparks and glitter to exit his mouth.

"Gross." Tsubaki said, her mouth curling at the sight.

"You're sure he'll be alright?" Momo asked in concern for her fellow peerage member.

"He'll be fine. Here, let me show you how it's suppose to be applied." Ambrose said, taking the vial away from Tsubasa before throwing it at her feet.

Once the bottle made contact with the ground, it exploded and a sickly green gas began to envelope the **[Rook]** , completely obscuring her from everyone's sight. Tsubasa began violently coughing while futility trying to fan the gas away from her.

"Is that suppose to happen?" Ruruko asked with wide eyes, aghast that she might have to do the same thing.

"Yes." Ambrose insisted. "It's meant to be absorbed through the lungs and soft tissue."

After a moment the gas had cleared and Tsubasa finally stopped coughing. The **[Rook]** took a moment and inspected herself.

"How do you feel?" Reya worriedly asked.

"I feel… great!" Tsubasa said after a moment. "I dunno, I feel like there's something that's built up inside of me."

"Well, try a spell out." Momo eagerly suggested.

"I… I don't know any spells." Tsubasa said, suddenly embarrassed. "I've never been able to use magic before."

"Magic is about intent." Ambrose explained. "Try throwing a punch without touching anything. Just envision your punch connecting, even though there's a distance."

"Right." Tsubasa said with a determined and resolute expression. Clenching her fist, she threw a punch that caused a loud cannon like blast to erupt from her arm and shatter the base of a nearby tree trunk.

Sona and her entire peerage stood awestruck at the tree that noisily crashed to the ground.

"Woah..." Ruruko comment.

"Very impressive." Reya observed as she surveyed the damage. "That was quite remarkable for your first magical attack."

Tsubasa collapsed to her knees. "Oh wow, that takes a lot out of you."

"Well, magic is like a muscle." Ambrose explained to the **[Rook]**. "The more you use it, the stronger you'll become. But magic also comes from the mind; before you send a spell or throw a punch your mind decides on what actions to take. The stronger your mind and body is, the more effective your magic becomes. So, who's next?"

"Count me in!" Ruruko yelled, throwing her bottle at her feet causing the green gas spread around her.

The rest of Sona's peerage soon followed, and Sona, herself, seemed quite pleased with the results. Her entire peerage now had the ability to use magic, even Saji seemed to be able to despite ingesting the concoction. What was most surprising to Sona was that she could now conjure other elements such as fire and ice, something which had always proved difficult for her.

"This is really fascinating." Tsubaki remarked as she created a gust of wind. "Western Magic has always eluded me."

"This is more than just fascinating, it's incredible." Reya said before giving Ambrose a rather racy look. "You said you could get is Fairy magic too? I'd love to learn all your secrets. In exchange, I'd be happy to show you a few of my own special secrets."

Sona loudly cleared her throat while giving her **[Bishop]** a disapproving look. She then turned and gave her fiance a grateful smile. "Thank you Am-chan. I'm certain this will give us an edge for what's to come."

"I'll say, we're going to kick ass on our first Rating Game!" Ruruko confidently stated.

"Thanks, Ambrose." Tsubasa said with a heavy blush. "I've always had difficulties when it came to magic. This means a lot to me."

One by one, Sona's peerage thanked Ambrose for his aid; however, the conversation was soon halted when the **[King]** received an unexpected magical call. With her brow frowning at the unusual occurrence, Sona activated a magical circle around her ear and accepted the communication request.

"Yes? This is Sona."

"Sona, it's your mother." The voice on the other end answered.

" _This is the last thing I need right now..."_ Sona thought, while trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Hello mother, what can I do for you?"

"I hope everything's alright." Empusa casually said. "How did Ambrose take the news?"

" _It figures that she'd call me in order to gossip."_ Sona thought, rolling her eyes at her mother's intrusiveness. "You've caught me in the middle of something. Can we talk later?"

"Actually, I had a reason for calling you." Empusa continued, unconcerned with her daughters attempt to dismiss her. "Apparently there's a stray devil in the area and it's been decided that you and your peerage are to handle it."

"A stray? Doesn't Rias usually handle this sort of thing?" Sona questioned her mother, confused at the irregular request.

"Normally, yes." Empusa replied, her tone taking on a cheery tune. "Think of it as an opportunity."

" _Just what are you up to, mother?"_ Sona couldn't help but wonder, yet saw no reason to refuse. "Very well, my peerage and I will handle it tonight."

"Excellent." Empusa pleasantly replied. "Well, I'll leave you to your important business. Be sure to send Ambrose my best wishes."

With that, the transmission abruptly ended and Sona was left wondering just what her mother was plotting behind the scenes.

"Is everything alright?" Tsubaki asked, knowing that a call from Lady Sitri was out of the ordinary.

"Apparently there's a stray devil in the area and we're to take care of it." Sona replied to her **[Queen]**.

"Strange..." Tsubaki commented with a worried look.

"Who cares how strange it is? This is a chance for us to use our new powers!" Saji exclaimed, excited to test his new abilities.

" _While this is an opportunity to test ourselves, I can't help but think there's something more to this. Rias's peerage usually handles stray devils in the area. She's Governor, it's her responsibility."_ Sona thought before shaking it off for now. She turned to address her fiance, and decided to offer an olive branch. "It'll take some time to track the stray down so we should probably begin our preparations. Do you want to come with us?"

"I would, but I was planning on having a talk with Rias." Ambrose awkwardly admitted. "I tried checking in with her earlier but the old school building was empty."

"All the clubs are being cleaned today, but they should be done by now." Sona explained before taking on a apprehensive tone. "Am-chan, you've never spoken to her without me there next to you. Are you going to be alright?"

"I can handle spoiled little Rias." Ambrose confidently reassured her.

"Alright." Sona relented, feeling quite helpless given the state of their relationship. _"Is this just another example of him not needing me anymore?"_

"Well… Good luck with your stray devil hunt." Ambrose uncomfortably said before heading to the Occult Research Club.

"Yeah, thanks."

* * *

The office of the Occult Research club was bathed in the red light of the setting sun. Rias Gremory was sitting at her desk while her **[Queen]** Akeno made herself busy lighting the candles for the evening. While the rest of her peerage had gone off to complete their contracts for the day, the **[King]** took a moment to herself in order to reflect on all the changes that had happened recently.

" _For years I foolishly believed that all my problems would be solved if I could escape my engagement, but now they've only increased."_ Rias ruefully thought with a touch of bitterness. _"Issei did well in the Rating Game, but he still hasn't managed to complete a single contract on his own. And now Yuuto has been irritable ever since he saw that picture of a Holy Sword earlier today at Issei's house."_

That last issue was particularly vexing; Kiba Yuuto, her sweet and charming **[Knight** ], had suddenly changed. She noticed that he was becoming more and more distracted and absent minded ever since he learned of Valper Galelei when discussing Ambrose's origins. But now he suddenly turned bitter and aggressive ever since he saw the picture of a Holy Sword in Issei's house. While she knew the details of his past, about the Holy Sword project and the experiments that was done on him and his friends, she had thought they had moved passed all of that.

" _Perhaps he just needs more time to sort out his feelings."_ She privately thought in hope.

Rias couldn't help but frown as her mind then wandered to the greatest source of her troubles, her long lost nephew. Ambrose, the one who saved her from her engagement, was now the source of her greatest troubles. She had no doubt that her entire family was eagerly awaiting news in regards to Ambrose and whether or not he'll accept them into his life. Judging by what Sona had said earlier, her family was in store for another heartbreak. Rias didn't have it in her to tell her Clan the news and was currently trying to figure out a way to save her family… and herself.

" _It wasn't suppose to be like this, it was suppose to be a happy reunion. If only he would just accept his role and rejoin the family, everything would be alright."_ Rias thought, feeling quite frustrated with the recent turn of events. _"But instead of accepting our warm and generous offer, he's rejecting us and could quite possibly ruin the Clan in the process."_

It was a cold and bitter reminder on just how unfair life could be. Despite her victory over Riser Phenex in the Rating Game, she was now facing harsh criticism from the Pillars and questions were being raised as to her ability to effectively lead her peerage. Many of the remaining Pillars viewed her victory as hollow, bought, dishonorable, and undeserved. The recent snubbing of her Onii-sama's party was just one such an example of allies and friends suddenly becoming 'unavailable'. Rumors were quickly forming, so in an effort to put an end to the whispers and save the Clan's dignity, her father released 'the good news'. Amazingly, it had worked. The fact that her nephew ended her engagements meant that Rias's victory was now viewed as an internal Clan matter, and the transfer of the Seere Valley was now seen as his rightful inheritance. Rias had no doubt that the Pillars could see through their ruse; however, the appearance of legitimacy quelled even their most harshest critics. No one was willing to besmirch her family name after the return of the lost son of Maō Lucifer.

But with Ambrose's rejection, her family would be disgraced anyways. Breaking a deal, especially an engagement, with a fellow Pillar was bad enough; but purchasing that victory from a lost relative who then renounces his family… If Ambrose, their own flesh and blood, found the Gremory Clan to be unworthy then so too would the rest of the Pillars. Rias didn't know if her Clan could survive such a scandal.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

" _My servants would simply just enter. This means it's either Sona or.."_

"Ara, Welcome Ambrose-sama." Akeno said, cheerfully greeting their unexpected guest.

"Please, there's no need to add 'sama' to my name." Ambrose uncomfortably replied. "I've been hearing it from almost every devil of Kuoh Academy all day."

"Oh, would you rather I address you more… _familiarly_?" Akeno suggestively asked.

Ambrose gave a frustrated sigh and chose to avoid the topic. "I'm here to speak with your **[King]**."

"It's alright Akeno." Rias said, dreading where this conversation would inevitably lead to. "Let him in."

"Can I get you two some tea?" Akeno politely asked as she escorted him into the club room.

"No thank you."

"Do you dislike tea?" Akeno curiously asked. "I've never seen you drink it when offered."

"To be fair, the last cup you made for me wound up on my lap." Ambrose replied with a raised eyebrow.

"What can I say? You make me tremble." Akeno teasingly replied.

"Thank you, Akeno." Rias interrupted her **[Queen]** 's flirtatious banter. "That will be all."

"Of course, my **[King]**." Akeno replied with a bow and left the room.

The pair of distant relatives suddenly found themselves uncomfortably alone, and for a moment no one knew what to say.

Putting on her most cheerful face, Rias asked, "What can I do for you, Ambrose?"

"I need a favor." Ambrose unexpectedly asked her. "I'd like you to help me convince your brother and father to retract the newspaper article."

" _That's not the rejection I was expecting. What's all this about?"_ Rias wondered, though asked aloud. "You want us to lie and publicly deny that we're family."

"I want you to tell the truth and state that my DNA doesn't match Millicas's." Ambrose clarified.

" _Which is practically declaring that we're not related."_ Rias privately mused.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." She regretfully told him.

"Look, I realize this is difficult for all of us," Ambrose began to explain, "but I'm willing to make certain concessions if the Gremory Clan would retract this story."

"It's not a story." Rias interrupted, trying not to lose her temper. "You're my nephew."

"I don't want to be publicly recognized as your nephew, or associated as a member of the Gremory Clan." Ambrose told her, effectively confirming her worst fears. "I especially don't want to be known as 'The Son of Maō Lucifer'. Do you have any idea the imagery that comes with such a title."

"Please don't be provincial, the title of Maō is a respectable one in the Underworld." Rias patiently explained.

"I'm not from the Underworld." Ambrose assertively replied.. "If what you say is true..."

"It is true." Rias interrupted again. "And you come from the Underworld, you were born there."

"If it's true then I've spent more time in this world than the Underworld." Ambrose continued, unaffected by her disruption. "This is where I live, this is where I do business. I was told I had the right to choose, and I choose not to be the Son of Maō Lucifer!"

"Please." Rias began to beg. "Please, just give us a chance, I know we could be a family again."

"This isn't about you, your family, or even me." Ambrose explained to her. "This is about all the people I do business with, the people who I cure with my potions. No one will buy my potions if they suddenly find out that I'm a devil. No one would even let me sell my potions if it's revealed I have ties to Maō Lucifer." He then let out a frustrated sigh before continuing. "Look, your family seems very nice, but I have a reputation to uphold. But I've thought this through and I think we can reach a compromise. If your family retracts the newspaper story then I won't cut off all ties. I'll… spend time with you all and we can continue to get to know each other, but privately."

" _But that still leaves the Gremory Clan in disgrace… It'll be even worse if we retracted the story; people might think we made it up to shield ourselves."_ Rias thought in a panic. "I'm sorry, I can't agree to that."

"Damn it, Gremory, you're doing it again!" Ambrose vehemently replied. "Trying to force me into accepting you. It didn't work out well last time, did it?"

Rias bit down on her own indignation, yet she refused to budge on this issue. "I suggest you take some time to get used to the idea. Who knows, maybe it'll grow on you and you'll address me as a family member."

"What? You want me to call you Rias Obaa-san [Old Lady Rias]?" Ambrose scornfully asked.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Onee-san." Rias tersely replied, knowing that the Japanese word for 'Aunt' also meant Old Lady.

" **You** are **not** my Onee-san." Ambrose firmly replied. "Give some consideration to my offer, if your family really does want to reconnect with me then they should retract the article."

He then abruptly stood up and marched out the door.

" _That could have gone better."_ Rias thought as she let out a huff of annoyance. "I know you've been listening, Akeno. You can come out now."

"Are you sure it's safe, Old Lady Rias?" Akeno humorously asked as she entered through a side room.

"That's not funny." Rias replied, giving her an angry look before shaking her head. "I shouldn't have let him get to me, not when we're trying to ingratiate ourselves."

"He is quite willful." Akeno commented with a smile. "It's rather attractive."

"What am I suppose to do?" Rias asked aloud, more to herself than to her **[Queen]**. "If he chooses not to publicly join the Gremory Clan then our reputation will be ruined.

"Perhaps he needs an incentive." Akeno helpfully suggested.

"Like what? Every overture I've made to him has been a failure." Rias replied, feeling quite helpless. "What could he want that we could provide him?"

"Perhaps he doesn't know what he wants." Akeno thoughtfully answered. "There are benefits to being a Gremory."

"What? You want to try to seduce him?" Rias skeptically asked, giving her **[Queen]** a look that was less than impressed.

"He and Sona seemed to be having troubles." Akeno pointed out. "Besides, even if they work things out, Sona will have to learn how to share sooner or later."

"You're serious!" Rias realized, her eyes wide in surprise. "Akeno, Ambrose has shown no signs that he's interested in you."

"He hasn't shown signs that he isn't interested. All he's done is give me heated looks which makes me want him even more."

"Despite your sadistic nature, you can be such a masochist sometimes." Rias ruefully said with a teasing grin.

"Then let's hope I can bring out Ambrose's inner sadist." Akeno said with a smile full of anticipation.

"Just be careful, Sona might not be willing to give him up."

"Well, maybe I'll get a mistress along with a master." The **[Queen]** excitedly replied as she left for the evening and left Rias to her thoughts.

Quite honestly, she didn't know if Akeno would or could succeed but she was currently at a loss on what to do. Despite everything, she couldn't allow Ambrose to dishonor her family, she had to find some way to make him agree to rejoin the Clan.

"Buchou!" Issei suddenly called out, interrupting her thoughts as he entered the club room. "You'll never guess, but I just completed my first contract!"

"Oh, Issei. That's wonderful. I'm so proud of you." Rias said, praising her **[Pawn]**.

"Yeah, it was really easy. It was some rich guy who seemed lonely and just wanted someone to talk to while he drank." Issei replied with a smile. "He had a good time and said he wanted to become a regular. Tomorrow he wants to go fishing."

"I'm so glad to hear that, Issei." Rias said with a charming smile, feeling a little bit relieved. _"At least that's one less problem to worry about. Now if I could only find a way to solve my other problems."_

* * *

It was past midnight when Sona lumbered back to her apartment, feeling quite exhausted yet proud of her peerage's accomplishment. They had found the stray devil in one of the abandoned buildings in Kuoh and managed to take care of it without too much trouble.

" _Though Saji certainly freaked out when he saw it was another Spider-woman."_ Sona recalled, feeling a bit disappointed with her **[Pawn]**.

Aside from Saji's mishaps, the rest of her peerage performed exceptionally well. Tsubasa used her new "Rocket Punch" to great effect. Tomoe was able to use her new magical abilities to create a demonic energy wave from her sword which completely cut the stray devil in half. Even Tsubaki, who always had difficulty with western magic, cleaned up the mess by conjuring a fire hot enough to burn the stray into ashes.

" _All in all, a very productive day, despite the large amount of paperwork that's still waiting on my desk."_ Sona thought, feeling pleased with her peerage's success. _"Now if only I could straighten things out with Am-chan."_

While she still felt confident that their relationship was secure, given his peace offering earlier in the day, things were still awkward and she was no closer to persuading him that his idea was a bad one. She decided there was nothing to do at the moment and perhaps if she finally got some sleep then the answer might come to her with a fresh perspective.

After brushing her teeth, Sona headed to her bedroom only to suddenly stop outside the door. There, buried underneath the covers was a human sized lump that was asleep and completely unaware of her presence.

" _It's too small to be Am-chan. Who would dare enter my bed?"_ Sona angrily thought, marching up to the bed before dramatically removing all the covers.

There, laying on her bed was a dark haired girl she knew all too well.

"Onee-sama!" Sona exclaimed, spying the nude form of Serafall Leviathan sleeping peacefully.

Serafall stirred awake, sleepily rubbing her eyes before she saw her beloved sister. "So-tan! Welcome home!"

"Onee-sama, what are you doing here?!" Sona alarmingly asked.

Serafall smiled brightly back at her before making a peace sign over her right eye; her signature magical girl salute. "Miracle Levi-tan is here to save the day!"

* * *

Author's Note:

So here it is, the first chapter of season 2. I honestly thought this story would die in the forgotten depths of this website, but it appears to have some fans so count on me to continue it till the end. (I do hate leaving things unfinished.)

For you fans of Serafall, you can now rest easy. From here on out she is now a main character in the story.


	24. Season 2, Chapter 2

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

All Serafall wanted to do was to get a few hours of sleep after a long and exhausting day.

" _I_ _t's always a_ _terrible_ _day_ _whenever_ _I see that_ _high and mighty angel bitch."_ Serafall angrily thought to herself.

Listening to Gabriel's lofty and condescending attitude was a normal occurrence whenever she was forced to deal with Heaven; however, lately something changed. When her sister and Sirzechs's missing son turned over Diodora Astaroth, not only were the Maōs provided with the location of three Excalibur Fragments, Serafall also received the means to show that 'Miss Perfect' wasn't so flawless after all.

It was the first time Serafall had ever been able to show up Gabriel and it was one of her most treasured memories. Therefore she was surprised that it happened a second time when Heaven contacted her nearly a week later, admitting that the Excalibur Fragments had been stolen despite her warning. Truthfully, Serafall would have loved to have gloated but the theft of the Excalibur Fragments coincided with the suspicions told to her by her sister: "Kokabiel will be arriving to Kuoh to assassinate the devils with a reforged Excalibur in an attempt to restart the war."

It also meant that another emergency meeting between the Four Great Satans would have to be held and lately Serafall felt as if they had been having too many of them: Rouge Fallen Angels in Kuoh, the creation of fertility enhancers that could save the Devil race, and the discovery of the Khaos Brigade being the most prominent examples. The workload of all the Maōs was becoming especially busy lately so none of them were thrilled when Serafall called for another emergency meeting, but that quickly changed when she began informing them of what she learned.

News of the theft of three Excalibur Fragments was especially alarming and the fact that exorcists from the Church were currently heading towards Kuoh made the situation even more dangerous. Sirzechs was quick to throw his support behind his sister, saying that she would be able to handle the situation on her own. It was an obvious ploy to give Rias a chance to improve her reputation, given the recent criticism she received in regards to how she claimed her victory against Riser.

However, Serafall wasn't willing gamble her sister's life in order to give Rias a second chance to prove that she could lead. So with that in mind, Maō Levithan let it slip that Sirzechs had already abused his authority by covering up the fact that Rias failed to inform Sona about the presence of Fallen Angels in Kuoh for a week so that she might turn one into her servant, consequently putting Sona's life in danger.

Ambrose, or Millicas as it were, was a member of the Gremory Clan and before his identity was revealed he held no standing with the Devil Nation. And while there was nothing the Maōs or the Pillars could do against Rias for actions against her nephew, Sona was not a member of the Gremory Clan. Endangering the life of a fellow peer from another Clan for personal gain was something that the Maōs could punish, and hiding the presence of Rouge Fallen Angels for a week in hopes to expand your peerage certainly fit the profile for that crime.

Needless to say Maō Lucifer was quickly chastised for abusing his position to cover up Rias's endangerment of another Clan heir and now he would have to abstain in all matters regarding Rias from then on out.

From there it was quickly decided that Rias's was too unproven as a leader and her actions were too questionable to handle this situation without proper supervision. Her Governorship would now be under review and as a Maō familiar with the area, Serafall was then selected to not only secretly observe Rias's ability to handle the exorcists situation but to also be in the area in order to take over should things spiral out of control.

Having received her task, Serafall then boarded the train to the Human Realm where she planned to use her sister's apartment as a safe house. She was tired and exhausted by the time she arrived, so after a quick shower she crawled into Sona's bed in order to get a bit of sleep and to give her sister a pleasant surprise.

" _Maybe I'll get the chance to experience So-tan's new kissing skills again."_ Serafall thought with a giggle as she stripped down naked began to gently fall asleep.

Unfortunately, the surprise was on her when the warm covers were suddenly thrown off and she woke to hear her sister shout out. "Onee-sama!"

Serafall tiredly rubbed her eyes before she saw her lovely sister. "So-tan, welcome home!"

"Onee-sama, what are you doing here?" Sona shouted out in surprise.

"Miracle Levi-tan is here to save the day!" Serafall said with a smile, giving her sister her signature magical girl salute.

"Onee-sama, that doesn't answer my question." Sona replied, looking a bit exasperated with her antics. "What are you doing here? Why have you come to the human realm?"

"I told you. I'm here to save you, Sona." Serafall replied, rolling her eyes because her sister wasn't following along. "All because of what you said to me."

"What are you talking about?" Sona asked, looking a bit confused. "What did I tell you?"

"Remember? You told me that Kokabiel was coming to attack you and the others here in Kuoh." Serafall patiently reminded her. "Because of your warning I continued to ask Heaven for daily updates regarding the Excalibur Fragments. If what you said was true, then he would steal them before he came here. Yesterday, after you all left, I received word from Heaven that Kokabiel managed to steal three Excalibur Fragments from the Church. The Church had known about the thefts for a week now, but didn't tell Heaven or admit it to anyone; they wanted to try and handle it on their own. The only reason Heaven found out is because I wouldn't stop bothering them about it and so they continued to pester the Church until they revealed the Fragments were missing."

"So he managed to steal them after all?" Sona asked, turning pale. "Even after the warnings we gave them."

"Apparently, Heaven or the Church didn't take our warnings seriously enough." Serafall replied to her sister with a small smile. "I tried not to rub it in their faces too much."

"Honestly, Onee-sama." Sona gently chastised her, but the smile on Sona's face told Serafall that she was also a bit amused. "Still, I'm glad to have your support. Thank you Onee-sama, you're the best."

"Aww..." Serafal replied with a light blush before giving Sona a serious look. "Unfortunately, the situation is becoming more dangerous and I'm limited in what I can do. Heaven also informed me that they're sending a few exorcists to take care of Kokabiel and retrieve their stolen property. If either the exorcists or Kokabiel discover that I'm in Kuoh then things could escalate quickly, so no one can know I'm here."

"Am-chan and I know about the exorcists already." Sona admitted to her, turning quite serious. "We know about them and the remaining Excalibur Fragments they're bringing."

"Wait? What?" Serafall questioned, growing suddenly alarmed by what she was hearing. "You're telling me that the exorcists the Church is sending are bringing additional Excalibur Fragments so they can hunt down a rouge Fallen Angel who's already stolen three Fragments?"

"Yes, Onee-sama."

"That's the stupidest idea ever!" Serafall loudly shouted out.

"His source is pretty reliable." Sona commented, hoping she could convince her.

"Oh, I believe it." Serafall replied, rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. "It's just the sort of thing a feather brained Angel might do."

"Things are more complicated than you realize." Sona hesitantly admitted to her, looking a bit uncertain. "Ambrose wants to help the exorcist."

"What? But why? Why would he want to help them?" Serafall asked in confusion, tilting her head to the side.

"Am-chan believes that by aiding the exorcists he can not only save their lives, but prevent Kokabiel from stealing the additional fragments the exorcists are bringing with them." Sona worriedly explained to her.

"We can't let him do that." Serafall quickly replied, startled by what her sister said. "That's treason!"

"I thought you didn't like him." Sona asks her in confusion, no doubt wondering why she would be so firm about this. "While I don't want to see him tried for treason, why are you so concerned?"

Serafall let out a frustrated breath before explaining, "Am-chan's fertility enhancers work. He gave us 33 vials and we distributed it to 23 couples, 10 where both partners received a dose in in order to try for twins. Sona, every woman who's taken his fertility enhancers is pregnant, a 100% conception rate."

"Onee-sama, that's incredible." Sona replied in astonishment.

"I've been authorized by the other Maōs to begin negotiations to provide the elixir for the entire Devil Nation, but if he's convicted of treason..." Serafall trailed off, worried about the implications. "We can't do business with traitors. Not only that, but it would cause a huge scandal, possibly ruining the Gremory Clan and Maō Lucifer."

"What do you mean? While I understand Ambrose's actions would cause a scandal, I fail to see how it it would ruin both Maō Lucifer and the Gremory Clan." Sona replied in confusion, "What exactly are you talking about?"

"Maō, don't make me say it." Serafall whined with a pout.

"Say what?" Sona asked, frowning as she tried to understand what was going on.

"Mother was right." Serafall bitterly answered, reluctant to admit her mother was right about anything. "Things aren't looking good for Rias and the Gremory Clan right now. Despite the fact that Rias defeated Riser in her first rating game, the Pillars are raising question on whether or not she's a competent **[King]**. She essentially bought and paid for her victory. There's also the issue of Rias trying to force Ambrose to become her servant. However, because Ambrose is a Gremory there's nothing the Pillars or the Maōs can do about either thing except express their disapproval and censure her. But all that changed because of you."

"Me?" Sona asks in confusion, still not realizing why Serafall came to the human realm. "What did I do?"

"You told me about the Fallen Angels and how Rias didn't warn you that they were in Kuoh for an entire week, putting you all in danger." Serafall replied as she began to explain everything in more detail. "The Maōs and the Pillars couldn't act on anything Rias did against Ambrose, but hiding the presence of Fallen Angels in Kuoh from you? So-tan, that's endangering another heir of a Pillar for personal gain."

"Which is a crime that the Pillars and the Maōs can act on." Sona concluded, her face turning white at the implications. "I imagine Maō Lucifer will continue to protect Rias from the penalties."

"He's not allowed to interfere." Serafall weightily answered. "Sirzechs-chan knew what Rias-chan did and hid it from the rest of the Maōs in order to protect her. Because of that, the rest of us have condemned his actions and he's no longer allowed to interfere in this matter, leaving Rias-chan without the protection of her Clan and her brother."

"The Pillars will probably use this opportunity to punish her for all the other actions she's been protected from recently." Sona concluded, realizing that Rias was in a lot more trouble than she let on. "And if Am-chan chose not to be recognized as a Gremory, or worse, arrested for aiding the church, the scandal would ruin the Gremory Clan."

"Am-can might be granted a bit of leniency; he's only recently been recognized as a Devil plus he can cure the Devil's infertility. It could be argued that he's acting out against Rias-chan and the Gremory Clan." Serafall said with a heavy sigh. "Currently, Rias-chan's Governorship is under review and it was decided I'd secretly keep an eye on her in case she caused a diplomatic incident when the exorcists arrived. The situation is dangerous enough as it is, and now your fiance is making things more complicated."

"So you're not just here to aid us against Kokabiel, but you're also here to spy on Rias." Sona concluded as she removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Maō, this is getting worse and worse."

"Unfortunately, if Am-chan refuses the Gremory Clan then things might not be so great for you either." Serafall apprehensively admitted to her sister. "The only reason you were able to hold onto your title as heiress was because of his relationship to Sirzechs-chan. So-tan, you know what Mama is like; if he refuses to become a Gremory you could still lose your status as heiress to the Sitri Clan or be forced to end your engagement."

"Maō, things are far worse than I realized." Sona said, paling dramatically before she began to plead. "Onee-sama, you can't tell him. If he knew that accepting the Gremory Clan was a condition for my own reinstatement into the Sitri Clan then he might come to resent me. I can't… I can't force him to make that choice."

"If he plans on aiding the church then it seems like he's already made his decision." Serafall sorrowfully replied to her sister.

"We can talk him out of it." Sona said, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking straight into her eyes. "He still doesn't understand the consequences of his actions, he doesn't know what it means to be a member of the 33 Pillars. Together, we can convince him not to aid the church. He hasn't done anything yet, so we still have time. We should head over to his house before it's too late."

"What? Now?" Serafall asked in confusion. "It's late. Besides, why would he listen to me?"

"Onee-sama, I can't explain right now but trust me. Am-chan will listen to you." Sona insisted before tossing her clothes at her. "Come on, get dressed. We have to go now."

"Alright, alright. Calm down." Serafall replied while getting dressed.

Although Serafall didn't know how she and her sister would be able to convince Ambrose to abandon his plan, she knew she couldn't allow things to remain as they were. Sona didn't want Ambrose to know that her status as heiress was dependent on accepting the Gremoy's offer and it sounded as if he most likely wouldn't care to help Rias out of her own predicament.

" _But the fertility enhancers..."_ Serafall thought as her sister lead her out into the streets and towards her fiance's home. _"He wants that deal to be made. If I can convince him that I can handle Kokabiel on my own, maybe he'll be willing to listen then. Surely the lives of two exorcists are worth the all future children of the Devil race."_

Sona held Serafall's hand, leading her to an undeveloped block across the street of an apartment building. The Maōs eyes widened in surprise as a five story tall gray stone town home shimmered into existence, but she didn't have enough time to admire it as Sona lead her through the door. It was dark and Serafall doubted he was actually awake, but Sona began to call out to the lost son of Maō Lucifer as she guided her up the stairs. "Am-chan!"

Serafall was then lead down the hallway on the 2nd floor, where at the end of the hall a door to a laboratory suddenly opened up and Ambrose stuck his head out to investigate the commotion they were making. His eyes were wide in surprised when he noticed them.

"Sona? Onee-san? What's going on?" Ambrose asked in confusion.

"Don't call me Onee-san!" Serafall angrily protested as she left Sona's side and marched up to him. "Not now when you're causing so much trouble!"

Ambrose turned to Sona and with a raised eyebrow he asked her in disbelief, "You tattled?"

"So-tan did the right thing." Serafall said, glaring up at him despite her short stature. "What do you think you're doing, planning to aid the exorcists?"

"Saving their lives. They might be tools for the Church, but if Kokabiel kills them then he'll have more Excalibur Fragments to add to his reforged sword and he'll be much stronger when he attacks us." Amborse quickly replied before taking on a confused look. "Hang on a minute, what are you doing here?"

"I came to stop Kokabiel. So-tan told me of your inside source and how Kokabiel plans to attack Kuoh." Serafall sharply answered as she tried to understand why he would want to help them at all. "Is that why you want to save the exorcists? Are they your inside source?"

"Of course not." Ambrose replied, as if the idea was ridiculous. "But you can't deny that this presents an opportunity to improve the relations between the three factions."

"Setting foreign policy isn't your job." Serafall angrily lectured him. "It's my job as Maō Leviathan to handle foreign affairs."

"Then tell me, what do you plan on doing about the Khaos Brigade? Hmm?" Ambrose asked her, moving in closer into her personal space; so close their noses were only an inch apart. "You may have taken a bit of the Old Satan Faction out but there's still three of the descendants of the original Maōs as well as their followers. That's not even including the other factions that make up the Khoas Brigade. Ever hear of Nilrem, the new circle of magicians that's joining the Khaos Brigade?"

"We didn't have a name for them, we only knew they existed..." Serafall hesitantly explained, feeling a little uncertain about how much he actually knew. "What do you know about them?"

"I know they're recruiting right now and they're lead by an enigmatic figure known only as 'The Magician'. There's also the hero faction of the Khaos Brigade and let me tell you they are willing to do anything to rid Earth of all supernaturals, even break the statute of secrecy." Ambrose explained as his voice turned into an imploring whisper. "You and I both know that the Devil Nation can't afford another war and that the Devils can't stand alone against such a force. You need allies, and this is a golden opportunity to lay the foundation for an alliance. A chance for real peace between the three factions so you don't have to fight the Khaos Brigade by yourselves."

"There's a difference between having an alliance and having a ceasefire." Serafall seriously replied, trying to get him to understand the situation as well as gain some understanding for herself. "There's no guarantee that the other factions even want peace between us. Is Kokabiel a member of the Khaos Brigade?"

"No." Ambrose replied with a shake of his head. "But the Khaos Brigade wants a war between the three celestial factions, and Kokabiel is giving them exactly what they want."

"Who's your source?" Serafall asked as she looked into his eyes, trying to discern the truth. "What makes you so certain of all this?"

Ambrose stood up and suddenly turned his attention to Sona. "You have to tell her."

"What?" Sona asked, looking rather confused.

"Tell me what?" Serafall asked, wondering what was going on.

"Tell her the truth." Ambrose insisted, causing Sona's eyes to widen.

"Are you serious?" Sona disbelievingly asked, looking quite alarmed that he had even suggested such a thing.

"What are you two talking about?" Serafall asked, as she looked back and forth between the two of them.

"Your sister, Maō Leviathan, wants answers. She has questions in regards to our actions." Ambrose weightily said, giving Sona a significant look. "Let's give her the answers she wants. Do the dance."

"No." Sona replied, suddenly looking quite horrified and possibly embarrassed.

"What dance?" Serafall asked, getting rather impatient. "Will someone please tell me what you two are talking about?"

"Sona, if you really want your sister to convince me not to help the exorcists then she must know the entire truth." Ambrose insistently said to Sona. "Do the dance."

"Sona, have you been hiding things from me?" Serafall asked; she knew her sister better than anyone and could always tell when Sona was concealing something from her.

"Alright, fine!" Sona frustratingly relented, looking quite upset about the whole thing. "Onee-sama, I'm going to have to ask you to watch me very closely."

"Okay..." Serafall uncertainly replied, wondering where they both were going with all this.

"And Sona..." Ambrose suddenly spoke up before Sona could actually begin.

"What?" She tersely asked.

"Remember: do it cutely." Ambrose said with a smile.

Sona unexpectedly glared at him before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Milulun! Milu-milu!" Sona said in a cute voice as she twirled twice in place and began to do an intricate set of poses that Serafall immediately recognized, "In The Name Of Maō Leviathan I Have Come To The Past To Save The Underworld!" Her sister said, ending the choreographed routine with a pose and a wink.

…

..

.

Silence.

Sona broke her pose and gave her an uncertain look, but right now Serafall was too frozen in shock.

"Onee-sama?" Sona hesitantly asked her, "I swear, if this was a joke..."

"EEEEEEEEEE!" Serafall squealed loudly, startling both Sona and Ambrose.

She ran and tackled Sona in her embrace, causing the both of them to crash to the floor. "So-tan! My So-tan is a magical time traveling girl!"

"Onee-sama!" Sona protested, though Serafall wasn't about to let her go and began to rub their cheeks together.

"Oh So-tan, I made that code especially with you in mind but I never once believed that I'd ever see you do it." Serafall said, leaning back so she could look in her sister's eyes causing her Sona to blush. "My time traveling magical sister..."

"Please Onee-sama, not in front of my fiance." Sona quietly pleaded as Serafall began to lean closer and closer.

"So, it worked?" Ambrose suddenly asked, interrupting their private moment. "You believe us? That we've traveled in time."

The intimate moment between Serafall and her sister was broken and she looked up to give Ambrose her complete attention. "Of course, that's my code to know that you've traveled back in time to save us. How far back did you two travel?"

"The time machine I invented takes you 500 years forwards, then can take you back." Ambrose explained to her.

"So it's an alternate future?" Serafall asked, tilting her head in confusion. "One where you and Sona didn't exist?"

"Yes and no. It is an alternate version but there's one constant that remains, both this world and the Underworld become a Wasteland ruled by ravenous evil dragons and other beasts. No matter how many times I've traveled back and forth, the war that destroys all worlds is destined to happen." Ambrose wearily told her. "Kokabiel is going to attack in mere days, killing the exorcists and the devils of Kuoh using a reforged Excalibur. He's going to reignite The Great Celestial War, causing all three factions to practically annihilate each other. After all three factions have beaten themselves to near extinction the Khaos Brigade will then attack the peace summit. What's going to happen soon is a series of events that leads to a war so large, Great Red, the Dragon of Dragons will desend from the Dimensional Gap."

"Why?" Serafall asked, confused and horrified of the future she was hearing about. "What's the point of all of it?"

"The Khaos Brigade is secretly lead by Ophis." Ambrose answered her, causing Serafall to dramatically pale.

"She wants to end all life." Serafall hauntingly whispered, "She wants to achieve silence."

"And to kill anyone who could prevent her from realizing her dream." Ambrose said, finishing her sentence. "Ophis succeeds and everyone dies. The only survivors are a hand full of humans who go to a warded property I've created, it's an Oasis in the Wasteland." Amborse said, continuing his tale. "I took Sona to the future and together we resurrected you, Onee-san. You want to know why I'm trying to build an alliance between the three factions? It's because you ordered us to."

"Is this true, Sona?" Serafall turned to Sona and asked with tearful eyes. "Will all this happen? Did I order you both to help build an alliance?"

"Yes Onee-sama." Sona uncomfortably answered. "Am-chan and I have made some progress. Thanks to your help we've no doubt weakened the Khaos Brigade, but we can't allow Kokabiel to renew the Great Celestial War."

"While I can handle Kokabiel, you're more than welcome to help us deal with him." Ambrose said to Serafall. "Still, I believe that saving these exorcist might help lay the foundation for an actual alliance between the three factions."

"What makes you so sure you can take care of Kokabiel?" Serafall asked, causing Ambrose give her a rather inscrutable look.

"You wanted to tell her the truth..." Sona said with a touch of humor, causing the alchemist to frown and nod in agreement.

It was at this moment where Serafall realized that things were far more complicated than she initially believed. Finding out your sister and the lost son of Maō Lucifer were time travelers was shocking enough, but nothing could have prepared her to feel the intense holy aura that suddenly radiated from the young man in front of her. Ambrose straightened his posture as seven light wings of solid light burst forth from his back, three on each side and one coming down like some sort of single tail feather.

"Maō Lucifer was wrong. I don't posses the **[Sephiroth Graal]** , I hold the **[Master Key]**. The power of the dead Biblical God and the culmination of all **[Sacred Gears]**." Ambrose said to her, and although the holy power she felt was monstrous, his eyes were kind and pleading. "Help me Levi-tan. Help me save all the realms; Earth, Heaven, and the Underworld. Help me save the Devil race."

Too exhausted and overwhelmed to accept what was in front of her, the world around her faded to black and Serafall collapsed and fainted.

…

..

.

"I think you over did it, Am-chan."

"Well, at least she didn't scream at me this time..."

* * *

Serafall gently stirred, feeling quite comfortable and warm she roused herself awake. It was only when she found herself in a strange bedroom did she suddenly sit up in shock. She paid no attention to the lavish bed she occupied, the ornate future which decorated the room, nor the soft linens she now laid on. Her mind was occupied by one thing and one thing only.

" _He's alive."_ Serafall thought, turning white in complete terror. _"He's alive and He's possessed Sirzechs's son."_

Any further thought she had was halted when the charlatan Himself entered the room with a breakfast tray.

"Good morning." Ambrose said with a smile as he placed the breakfast tray before her.

"Where's Sona?" Serafall demanded, glaring distrustfully at him.

"She left to head to school with Tsubaki." The con artist replied, "You know how she is about her studies."

"Why should I trust you? You're the enemy of my entire race! You could have done something to her!" Serafall angrily accused.

"I am not Him. In fact, I have more reason to hate Him than you do." Ambrose sternly replied. "He tried to take over my body, like Vritra once tried to take over his host. I defeated Him in the Wasteland, showing Him that everything He ever accomplished had been destroyed. He is no more, and His power is now mine. I choose to use this power to change the future and save us; all of us, no matter the race: Humans, Devils, Angels, and whatever the hell I've become."

"How can I believe anything you say?" Serafall uncertainly asked him, still feeling a bit fearful of what she had learned.

"It's like I told you when you first met me: I hope to earn your trust." Ambrose replied before gesturing to the tray. "In the meantime, I've brought you breakfast. In the antechamber you'll find a stack of information that Sona and I have brought from the future: targets, dossiers, profiles, and video recordings that describe the events of two different timelines, told by an alternate version of you and Sona. It's all there for you to read, I won't be hiding anything from you."

"So I'm suppose to stay here as your prisoner?" Serafall asked, trying to understand what dastardly scheme he had planned.

"Not at all." Ambrose replied with a smile that was so very similar to his father's. "I've keyed you to the wards, and you're free to come and go as you please. But you need to keep this information between the three of us. My ability to know the future depends on the predictability of the people who are alive in this time. If it's discovered that I have a time machine then all the information I have and could ever collect could be useless." Ambrose paused for a moment before he continued. "Sona told me the whole story on why you came, and I'd like you to consider staying here during your time in Kuoh. If you truly want to remain hidden from the exorcists and Kokabiel then you'll won't find a better hiding place than this house. There's also this..." Ambrose said, gesturing to follow him to the antechamber.

Curious, but still mistrustful of his motives, Serafall rose from bed to investigate what he wanted to show her.

"It's a map of Kuoh." Ambrose explained to her. "Weeks ago, when the rogue Fallen Angels arrived, I placed sensors all throughout the city. It's set to identify both demonic and holy energy, so you'll be able to track us all with this map."

"Even you?" Serafall asked, wondering if he would allow her to track him.

"Even me." Ambrose replied with a playful smile.

"Look." Serafall worriedly said, pointing at the map. "It's Sona and she's approaching two holy signatures."

"They must be the exorcists." Ambrose worriedly commented as he gazed at the map. "If they've arrived then I had better go and stay close to her, just to make sure she'll be alright."

Serafall watched as he turned to hurry out the door, and couldn't resist calling out to him. "Who's side are you really on?" She asked, though she doubted he would give a truthful answer.

Ambrose turned and look at her and replied with a smile. "Sona's, and probably yours too if you'd let me. Now, I really should be going. Sona would be mad if I'm late for school and she'd hate it if I teleported myself there."

Despite her own misgivings, Serafall couldn't help but smile at his remark. _"The inheritor of the Biblical God is worried about upsetting my So-tan."_

Unfortunately, the weight of recent developments and her own misgivings came back as she was left alone in the room. Serafall took a moment to look around a bit before her eyes traveled to the map and the mountain of documents he left for her.

" _Geeze, I hate paperwork."_ Serafall grumbled to herself; however, she was in desperate need for answers.

She would test his wards by going out in order to retrieve her belongings, but Serafall also decided to remain close to him until she could figure out if he was truly a threat or not.

In the meantime, that delicious smelling breakfast was calling.

* * *

Sona walked along with her **[Queen]** Tsubaki as they took their usual route to school. Truthfully, she was a bit apprehensive about leaving her sister and fiance alone together. Serafall had been furious, almost violent the first time she was told the truth about Ambrose's power and Sona was worried about the ramifications of leaving the two of them alone.

Sadly, she didn't have the luxury of staying till her sister woke up; appearances had to be maintained and she had missed enough days of school as it was.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly felt the unmistakable aura of holy energy. There, waiting at the gates, were two young girls wrapped in white cloaks with swords that were equally bound in white cloth.

"Holy swords." Sona muttered, causing Tsubaki to suddenly tense. _"This is it."_

Their features were mostly hidden, a pair of violet eyes with brown hair and golden eyes with a bit of blue and green hair peeked out from their hoods. They didn't appear aggressive, in fact the brunette had a small smile on her face, but Sona could tell they knew who or more likely what she was.

Cautiously, Sona approached them with her **[Queen]** in tow.

"There's a sandwich shop across the street that serves breakfast." Sona said, surprising the two exorcists. "We can talk there, if you'd like."

The pair of holy exorcists from the church turned and looked at each other, as if to reach a silent consensus on whether or not they'd accept.

"School's about to begin in thirty minutes." Sona said, interrupting their silent conversation. "And the two of you look like a bunch of cosplayers. We don't want to attract attention, nor do we wish to be overheard."

"Lead the way." The blue haired girl guardedly replied.

Although turning her back on a pair of exorcists armed with Excalibur Fragments was the last thing Sona wanted to do, she and Tsubaki calmly turned and lead the way towards the small sandwich shop. Using her senses, and glancing at the reflection of a window as they passed, Sona could tell the exorcists traveled a good ten paces behind them; far enough to give Sona and Tsubaki time to act should the they attack.

After entering the store, Sona and Tsubaki stood in line to place their order, despite the fact that she and her **[Queen]** had already had breakfast. She then turned and was surprised to see the pair of exorcists had immediately sat at a table, looking quite uncomfortable.

" _They were so confident earlier when we first met, what changed?"_ Sona wondered as she discretely watched the pair of exorcists grimacing, restlessly looking around at all the other patrons.

" _No, not at the customers."_ Sona realized in surprise. _"They're looking at the food."_

Charity wasn't a quality that devils admired, but trading something in exchange for something else was. That was the core foundation of all contracts, and there was something Sona wanted from these exorcists; she wanted a guarantee that they wouldn't attack any Devils.

" _These are not the battle hardened religious fanatics I had expected."_ Sona thought after she placed her order and approached the table where the exorcists were waiting. _"These are two young girls, cut off from the Church and clearly in over their heads."_

While she didn't agree with her fiance's plan to aid the exorcists, she could at least admit to herself that the idea had merit in regards to laying the foundation for an alliance. If her Onee-sama approved of his plan, then he wouldn't face the consequences for treason. It was then Sona realized that this informal meeting could serve as an opportunity to not only size up the exorcists but to also practice her diplomatic skills.

" _While they aren't my ally, I don't want them attacking me or my peerage during this delicate time."_ Sona privately reasoned. _"_ _Most exorcists_ _are_ _rather indiscriminate when it comes to who they attack_ _ _when_ _they_ _start hunting_. I don't want them to see me or my peerage as an enemy."_

"Welcome to Kuoh." Sona said as she sat across from the two girls. "I'm Sona Sitri, but while we're in public please address me as Souna Shitori. This is my **[Queen]** , Tsubaki Shinra."

"Irina Shidou, nice to meet you." The thin brunette replied with a smile

"Xenovia Quarta." The girl with the blue hair answered before turning to her companion. "There's no reason to be nice to them, Irina. We're not here to make friends with Devils."

"I was just being polite." Irina replied with a pout.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Sona said, wanting to keep this conversation civil. "In situations like this, courtesy is the best defense."

Irina gave Sona a friendly smile; however, her companion, Xenovia, seemed quite frustrated as she bullishly got to the heart of the meeting.

"We're here under orders of the Church. In accordance of the treaty, we've come to retrieve Holy artifacts left by the Fallen Angels in their recent skirmish in the area."

" _That's a lie."_ Sona thought, wondering why they would obfuscate their real purpose. "They left no Holy artifacts in Kuoh. You're here hunting Kokabiel in order to retrieve the three Excalibur Fragments he stole from your respective churches."

The two exorcist's eyes widen in surprise and Sona couldn't help but show a satisfied smile in catching them off guard.

"How do you know that?" Xenovia suspiciously whispered, giving her a rather heated look.

"I'm the one who warned Heaven that he was coming to steal them." Sona leaned forward and whispered back. _"Not only do I need to keep them off balance to get what I want, I need them to understand that I'm not an enemy."  
_

"What? Why?" The pair of exorcists loudly asked, forgoing all sense of subtly.

"Technically I didn't personally tell Heaven, at least not directly. But I discovered his plot and sent it up the chain of command so that Heaven could be warned." Sona admitted with a shrug. "It's rather disappointing that you all couldn't prevent it."

"And why would you warn Heaven?" Xenovia asked continuing to glare distrustfully at Sona.

"Two reason." Sona explained holding up two fingers. "One, Kokabiel plans to use the Fragments to assassinate the all devils here, which would reignite the Great Celestial War."

The two exorcist's eyes widened for a moment, though Xenovia suddenly got a strange look on her face.

"And the second?" Irina curiously asked.

"We may not be allies, not every devil is your enemy." Sona truthfully answered. While she wasn't willing to go out of her way to save them, she certainly needed these exorcists to leave all the devils in peace. "Some of us like the ceasefire and have no desire to fight in another war."

Any comment the exorcists were going to make was interrupted by the waitress who brought their order and placed it on the table. Sona and Tsubaki made no move to begin, and since the exorcists didn't order anything Sona took a moment to observe how uncomfortable the food made them.

"Tsubaki and I have already eaten." Sona said after a moment of silence, gesturing the food. "Help yourself."

"We're not about to accept charity from a devil." Xenovia quickly replied, though neither one of their eyes left the food.

"I guess it'll go to waste then." Sona said with a shrug and then leaned back in her chair.

It wasn't even five seconds later before the exorcists grabbed the sandwiches and began to voraciously eat them. Despite their lack of table manners, Sona mentally patted herself on the back for her ability to read them so well.

"Xenovia, we forgot to say grace!" Irina suddenly said with a mouthful of food.

"That's not the worst of it." Xenovia said with tears in her eyes. "What has the world come to where we have to depend on the charity of Devils?"

"Did we just sell our souls?" Irina asked, looking quite panicked at the idea.

"Why would I want your souls, or any souls for that matter?" Sona asked, genuinely confused. _"Honestly, the lies the Church spreads about us..."_

"So you're not trying to turn us into Devils or have us commit a sin in order to deny our entrace into Heaven?" Irina asked with a frown as she tried to understand her motives.

"No." Sona simply replied, though she was privately amused at the idea of exorcists selling their souls for an egg sandwich.

"You could at least say 'Thank You'." Tsubaki muttered in disbelief at their lack of manners.

"Why are you helping us?" Xenovia questioned, giving both of them a suspicious look.

"I'm not." Sona firmly replied, wanting to set the record straight. "I'm simply not hindering your mission. In fact, I want you to complete it as quickly as possible and then leave with out incident."

"But why?" Irina asked, "Why do you care if we complete our mission?"

" _Honestly, are these two dense?"_ Sona thought, hiding her irritation. "I told you, Kokabiel is here to kill the devils with the Excalibur Fragments he stole. Personally, I would rather the two of you leave Kuoh and never return, but I doubt you would without finishing your mission."

"We have to keep the fragments out of both Kokabiel's hands and yours, Devil." Xenovia said, glaring at the two of them with a bit of egg on her face. "How do we know this whole thing isn't a some Devil trick and that you're not working for Kokabiel?"

"Devils do not work with Fallen Angels, especially ones that attacked us only weeks ago. We don't want the Excalibur Fragments here, or to see it reforged." Sona said, giving the uppity exorcist a mild glare. "Believe me, if we had those Fragments, or any holy sword, we would destroy it. Now you two come to Kuoh, bringing two more Excalibur Fragments and further complicating the situation. Tell me, by the sound of things which one of us is playing into Kokabiel's hands?"

The two exorcists suddenly grew uncomfortable and unsure as they exchanged nervous glances. Sona had to remind herself that she wasn't there to help them, nor was she there to anger them. Her sole purpose of this little meeting was to ensure that these exorcists didn't attack her and her peerage in their 'quest' for the Excalibur Fragments.

"What I want is for you two to complete your mission with out endangering the lives of the devils who live in this territory." Sona said, getting to the heart of her concerns.

"We consider this a matter between the Church and the Fallen Angels." Xenovia replied, though she continued to glare at her when their eyes met. "We can't afford to deal with both Fallen Angels and the Devils of this city."

"So long as you don't attack us then we have no quarrel with you; however, I'm not the one you need to talk to." Sona said, gaining their undivided attention. "You need to speak to the Governor, Rias Gremory. All official requests have to be made through her. I'll set up the meeting for tomorrow."

From there the meeting ended, and Sona and Tsubaki were quick to leave so as not to be tardy to school.

" _Though my perfect attendance record is already ruined due to my trip to the Underworld."_ Sona morosely realized as she and Tsubaki passed through the school gate.

It was then she spied her estranged fiance by the school building.

" _Was he watching me the entire time?"_ Sona thought; however, he suddenly turned and went inside without acknowledging her.

Sona's heart cracked a little at his dismissive actions as she tried to keep her tears at bay.

"I take it you two still haven't worked things out." Tsubaki commented with a frown having observed the scene.

"I thought we made some progress last night." Sona replied, wondering why things were so difficult between them. "But maybe it's not too late to get things back the way they were."

"I hope not." Tsubaki said with a frown marring her features. "We could sure use his help right about now."

" _Unfortunately, his desire to help is the problem."_ Sona thought as she and Tsubaki walked towards the school building.

One thing Sona knew for sure was that these two members of the Church were not the two blood thirsty exorcists she believed them to be. She also could admit to herself that denying Kokabiel two additional Excalibur Fragments worked out in their favor. But aiding the exorcists on their own was out of the question, and foreign policy was set by her sister, Maō Leviathan. Sona knew that they could only act with her approval.

" _Still, should Onee-sama decided leave things as they are then I hope she and I can convince Am-chan not to aid the exorcists."_ Sona worriedly thought as she and Tsubaki headed to class. _"Maybe then things can go back to the way they were."_

* * *

While Serafall could honestly say there were many things about her mother she didn't like, she would admit there that was at least one thing they had in common; they both liked espionage and spycraft.

Technically she was snooping, but right now going through Am-chan's home seemed much more interesting than going through all the papers he left for her on the desk.

" _I gave them a cursory glance. Besides, if something was really important then he would have put it on the videos I watched."_ Serafall privately reasoned as she began peeking inside Am-chan's dresser drawers, looking for anything incriminating. _"Now if I were a teenage boy, where would I hide something? Maybe under the bed?"_

Unfortunately her search uncovered next to nothing so far, _"Not even a_ _single_ _dirty magazine._ _W_ _hat kind of boy is he?"_

It was then that Serafall recalled an important detail; he wasn't a teenage boy, he was much older than everyone believed him to be. _"_ _It certainly explains how powerful he is, as well as his skill in alchemy. The_ _Maō_ _s have been wondering how he managed to create a fertility enhancer with out_ _any known_ _test subjects. I wonder how old he really is? He's_ _might be_ _closer to my age than So-tan's."_

While she hadn't uncovered any additional information about Ambrose, she wasn't about to give up. One thing Serafall knew for certain was that she had to do everything she could to figure him out. She needed to know if he was a danger to her sister, if he was a threat to the Underworld and the Devil Nation. Most of all, she needed to find out if she could actually trust him. Despite her initial misgivings, he had already proven himself somewhat trustworthy. He was willing to fight against Fallen Angels and had protected Sona from their plan to frame her. He also helped deliver the evidence of the Khoas Brigade to the Maōs, which allowed them to arrest a significant portion of the Old Satan Faction. And while the source of his holy power terrified her, Serafall was sensible enough to realize that if he continued to prove himself as an ally then having him on the Devil's side would be the biggest coup in history.

" _The inheritor of the Biblical God is also the son of Maō Lucifer."_ Serafall thought as she tried to fathom the implications. _"One thing's for sure, Gabriel will lose her damn mind if she ever finds out. She always had a Daddy complex and there's no way I can let that feather brained bitch get her claws in Am-chan."_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening which caused Serafall to begin scrambling in order to get everything back in its proper place. _"I should have kept a closer eye on the time. Why is he back so early?"_

"Levi-tan, are you here?" Ambrose called out from the foyer a few stories below her. "Onee-san?"

"Don't Call Me Onee-san!" Serafall reflexivly shouted back, unintentionally letting him know where she was.

She quickly exited his bedroom and ran down the stairs, hoping he didn't suspect her of nosing around through his things.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Serafall asked as she met him on the 2nd floor, believing that by questioning him she could distract him from wondering what she had been up to. "Don't you have any after school clubs?"

"I think I have enough on my plate between going to school, curing lyanthropy, and preventing the apocalypse." Ambrose replied with a touch of humor. "I'm quite surprised to see you still here. I figured you might have been halfway to the Underworld by now. Did you tell the other Maōs?"

"No." Serafall reluctantly admitted. "If I did that then you'd probably never trust us… or me ever again. You haven't lied to me so far, and you did adjust your wards so I was able to go to So-tans house and get my things."

"Your things?" Ambrose asked in confusion.

"I've decided to accept your offer, so I'm moving in." Serafall replied with a smile that hid her ulterior motive. _"I can't let him out of my sight until I've figured him out."_

"Well, please make yourself at home Levi-tan." Ambrose said with a charming smile. "In the meantime, I have some news for you. This morning Sona did meet with two exorcists and she'll be arranging a meeting between Rias and them tomorrow."

"I've been glancing at that map of yours from time to time." Serafall admitted, unwilling to say how impressed she was with the object he created. "Last time I checked on those exorcists they were investigating the abandoned church."

"I wish we were able to keep a closer eye on them." Ambrose commented as he scratched his chin.

"I'm still not certain that helping them is the best course of action. Most exorcists from the church are zealots and won't show you any mercy. At the very least, you might be forced to kill them if they see you, especially if they discover your power or your heritage." Serafall said, worried about any contact he may have with agents of the Church or Heaven. _"No matter what, we can't afford letting him join Heaven or the Church."_

"If they're such a danger then it's in our best interest to keep an eye on them." Ambrose replied to her. "I was thinking we might plant a few surveillance devices in the Occult Research Club, that way we can overhear their meeting and get a better idea on who we're dealing with."

"That's… not necessary." Serafall uncomfortably admitted. "I've already planted a few cameras and recording devices in the Occult Research Club."

"What?" Ambrose asked, giving her a surprised look. "If that's true then the Maōs would have known about me much sooner."

"It's a recent development..." Serafall trailed off with an embarrassed laugh.

Ambrose suddenly smiled at her, "You had those devices planted by the staff when all the clubs were closed for cleaning, didn't you?"

"No one expects the janitor." Serafall cheerfully smiled before she gave him a serious look. "Promise not to tell So-tan? She gets mad when I have to take such measures."

"Your secret is safe with me." Ambrose quickly replied, giving her a wink.

"Thanks." Serafall said with a smile, happy they were getting along. "And I wanted to thank you personally for the gift you gave me; for the Milky Girl Spiral Collection."

"Yes, you told me… that is in the alternate future you told me you loved Milky Girl Spiral." Ambrose said to her, "So when I saw so much of that merchandise available I made sure to get it especially for you."

"Sona said you got it through a contract. What kind of contract was it?" Serafall asked, wondering what he did to get a complete collection like that.

"I met someone named Mil-tan who wanted to become a genuine magical girl. I simply granted hi.. her wish." Ambrose replied. "Did you like it? I was worried you might already have a complete collection."

"Not nearly that complete." Serafall admitted with a sheepish grin. "There were quite a few items I hadn't been able to import from the Human Realm. Do you like Magical Girls, Am-chan?"

"Never seen a single episode." Ambrose said to her complete astonishment. "But you've already given me quite a breakdown on the entire Japanese Magical Girl Genre."

"You've never seen a single episode? Even after having a complete collection in your home?" Serafall asked with wide eyes. "We have to watch it, we have to watch it right now!"

She grabbed his hands and dragged him to the television room as he futility protested,"But I don't have any anime in the house, I gave it all to you."

"I brought the DVD's with me." Serafall embarrassingly admitted as she pushed him on the couch. _"And the manga, and the audio books, but the figurines are still at home..."_

Truthfully Serafall didn't know what she hoped to accomplish by watching her favorite show with him, but she figured he might continue to let his guard down around her if she kept him comfortable.

" _Not that he ever seemed uncomfortable around me."_ Serafall thought with a blush as she remembered their dance. "Am-chan, were you my Onii-chan when we first met in the future?"

"Sort of." He replied with a smile. "We didn't get along at first, you accused me of kidnapping Sona for 500 years. It took awhile for us to get along, but we managed to do so for Sona's sake. Eventually we became pretty good friends. Before Sona and I returned to the present you told me how you always worried that someone might take Sona away from you. It was then you gave me some advice on how to rekindle our friendship by becoming your Onii-chan."

"I told you to try and become my Onii-chan?" Serafall asked, wondering what her future self was thinking.

"You made me repeat it." Ambrose clarified to her surprise. "You told me to say those exact words, 'I want to be your Onii-chan'. You also told me that your wish for the future was for the three of us, you, Sona and I, to become a family together."

"I said that?" Serafall asked, trying to wrap her mind around everything. _"Do they both not know? What could I have been thinking to suggest such a thing?"_

It wasn't the first time she had considered the idea of finding an Onii-chan and marry him along with her sister so the two could remain together, but when she first met Ambrose it seemed as if everything was happening too quickly. The fact that Sona seemed to be on board with the idea was the biggest shock of all, but now it seemed as if both of them might be completely unaware.

" _Could it be a misunderstanding?"_ Serafall wondered as her mind tried to wrap itself around what her future self could have been thinking. _"No, there's no way I would have misunderstood a statement like that. Could it have been a message for me? That maybe I found him worthy of Sona… worthy of me?"_

"Onee-san." Ambrose said, interrupting her from her thoughts. "Are we going to watch the Magical Milky Girl show?"

"Oh, right." Serafall embarrassingly replied, putting the DVD in.

She quickly grabbed the remote and made herself comfortable on the couch next to him. While she loved Magical Milky Girl Spiral, she couldn't help but take discrete glances at her host as the anime played. Serafall had met a lot of interesting characters in her life, but could quite honestly say that Ambrose was one of the more memorable ones. He had nearly swept her off her feet when she had first met him and it sounded as if he had done it completely unintentionally by following the directions her future self had told him. She could admit that he was rather charming, and the idea of having an Onii-chan and being in a relationship with Sona was her dream come true.

In a lot of ways she could relate to him, they both were individuals who were responsible for the lives of millions of people; though in Ambrose's case he didn't have the authority to go along with the responsibility.

" _He's been trying to fix this problem for so long on his own."_ Serafall realized as she watched him out of the corner of her eyes. _"It's no wonder he's having such a hard time working with others. He feels as if it's his responsibility and burden."_

"What the hell was that?" Ambrose asked, grabbing the remote from her and rewinding the show.

"What was what?" Serafall asked, realizing that she was paying more attention to him rather than her favorite anime.

"This." Ambrose said as he pressed play and kept his eyes on the TV.

Curiously, Serafall turned to the television and recognized the scene immediately. "That's where Doctor Danger takes a Magical Milky Girl's sister as a hostage and she uses her special attack to save her beloved sister and defeat the villain."

"The attack goes right through the hostage and only affects the bad guy." Ambrose says as he rewinds and watches the scene play out again.

"Of course, Magical Milky Girl uses her Shining Spiral Attack to channel the power of love and defeat evil." Serafall explained to him. "The attack doesn't hurt her because of her love for her sister. That way, Magical Milky Girl is able to defeat the bad guy and save her sister without revealing her secret identity. Though, Magical Milky Girl's sister eventually finds out in season 3."

"You know, Sona made something similar using the flyer modifications as a basis for the conditions. It's a way to use a high level magical attack with out damaging her peerage." Ambrose explained and began to smile. "But her adjustments only make her peerage, or rather Sitri Clan members immune to her attacks. I think we could take this idea and actually apply it to a wider spectrum, using people's affinity for one another instead of Clan allegiance."

"You… want to make Magical Milky Girl's Shining Spiral Attack a real thing?" Serafall asked in complete disbelief, her eyes growing wide at the thought.

"Basically, yeah." Ambrose replied with an embarrassed look. "I think it could work, and I know a good place to start."

Serafall reached out and grabbed his shoulders, looking so closely into his eyes that their noses were almost touching. "I'm in. Let's do it."

Ambrose gave her a smile, a smile so genuine she could tell he was just as excited about this as her. They both immediately got up and rushed towards the only locked door in the house, his laboratory, when he suddenly stopped causing her to run into him.

"You have to promise not to blow up my lab." Ambrose unexpectedly turned and asked her with a serious look.

"What?" Serafall asked in confusion, "Why would you think I'd do that?"

"Cause the last time you entered my lab you blew it up." Ambrose embarrassingly admitted.

"I promise not to blow up your lab, Am-chan." Serafall replied, rolling her eyes and wondering why she would have done something like that in the future.

With that Ambrose opened the door and lead her into what looked like a lengthy converted ballroom. It was lined with all sorts of alchemy equipment and Serafall took a moment to look around, careful to put her hands behind her back to show her host that she wasn't about to touch anything.

" _It reminds me a bit of Ajuka-chan's lab."_ Serafall thought, wondering if Ambrose and Maō Beelzebub would get along. _"They both enjoy alchemy, I bet they would have a lot to talk about."_

"Here we are." Ambrose said, dragging out a large crystal orb on a golden pedestal.

"An orb of truth?" Serafall asked, recognizing the object immediately.

"That's right." Ambrose said with a smile. "As you know, it's a magical device that measures the truthfulness of what's spoken inside its field."

"How could that help us?" Serafall asked, peering at him as she cutely tilted her head to the side.

"It can help us because this device has the ability to take a measurement of something within it's field." Ambrose explained to her. "What if we took the runes which measure a person's truthfulness, but change the variables so it measure's the affinity between the people in its field..."

"It does have the ability to measure the state of an individual… All we would need is to find the new set of variables." Serafall concluded, her eyes widening as her excitement grew. "We would have to find a rune set that's about love or friendship. Once that condition is set, we could apply it to a magical circle and Magical Milky Girl's Shining Spiral Attack can be a real magical attack!"

"I might have a few books in the library that should help us find runes dealing with love and friendship." Ambrose said with an eager smile.

" _The alchemist in him is no doubt excited to expand his knowledge of magic."_ Serafall quickly deduced, though to be honest she was quite eager to begin as well and could barely contain herself. "I'll help!"

Ambrose then lead her up the stairs to the fourth floor, taking two steps at a time with Serafall eagerly following behind him.

" _This is so exciting!"_ Serafall enthusiastically thought as she hummed the tune to Magical Milky Girl. _"Sirzechs-chan made it sound like getting along with Am-chan would be difficult. Maybe it had more to do with Rias than Am-chan's personality."_

"Hey, Am-chan." Serafall spoke up as they entered the library. "Why are you so reluctant to join the Gremory Clan?"

Ambrose had his hand outstretched to grab a book of the shelf and froze after she asked her question, his exuberant state practically evaporated right before her.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Serafall hastily added, not wanting to ruin the progress she had made in her quest to get to know him. "It's just… you seemed to be getting along with them at the party."

"Honestly, I did have a good time with them at the party." Ambrose reluctantly admitted as he avoided her eyes and looked at the cover of a book he pulled from the shelf. "Lord and Lady Gremory, as well as Maō Lucfer were very gracious and I enjoyed the time I spent with Miss Grayfia. Although, being related to Rias is particularly grating." He finished with an amused chuckle that had Serafall smiling along. "But everything else… everything that comes with it. Who would want to be 'The Son of Lucifer'?"

"You're not the real Son of Lucifer." Serafall said, trying to comfort him.

"Yes, I've heard about Rizevim." Ambrose said with a touch of harshness. "Who would want to be compared to that? Who would want to be associated or confused with someone who's known to be evil for the sake of being evil?"

"Since when do you care what other people think?" Serafall questioned, hoping she might learn more about how he viewed things. "You're willing to aid exorcists, to become a traitor to the Devil Nation because of what you believe is right. There would be many Devils who would accuse you of being a traitor if you did that, yet what they think doesn't seem to bother you. You don't even seem care what Sona thinks about it."

"I'm not planning on helping the exorcists for my own sake, I was doing it to save the future." Ambrose defensively replied. "And as for Sona, I'm trying to protect her."

"Protect her from what?" Serafall curiously asked, cutely tilting her head to the side.

"From following me and becoming a traitor." Ambrose explained. "If I succeeded in saving the exorcist which resulted in an actual alliance between the factions then there would be no harm. If I failed saving them, or failed at laying the foundation for peace then she would be protected from my actions."

" _But she might become Clanless because of how she helped Rias."_ Serafall mused as she considered the bigger picture. _"Am-chan doesn't know that he's the reason why she was able to retain her title as heiress. Oh Sona, you have to tell him. We have to straighten this whole mess out before it's too late."_

The pair said nothing more as they grabbed a few reference books on magic and carried them down to the laboratory to begin their work. While the books weren't heavy for Serafall, it was a bit awkward carrying such a large stack. It was also difficult too put them down because his lab was a bit cluttered. It was then discovered something truly alarming as she was trying to clear some space on a desk.

"Am-chan, why do you have **[Evil Pieces]** on your desk?" Serafall asked as she quickly recognized those particular pieces. "More specifically, why do you have Sona's **[Evil Pieces]**."

"Oh, she let me borrow them." Ambrose freely admitted with a smile that had alarm bells ringing in Serafall's mind. "She wanted me to see if I could find out any secrets or weaknesses with the **[Evil Pieces]** and it's ability to turn people into Devils."

She quickly set the books down on the floor and took another look at the pieces, trying not to let her nervousness show. _"A_ _ **[Rook]**_ _, a_ _ **[Knight]**_ _, and a single_ _ **[Pawn]**_ _. Thank goodness, they're only her_ _ **[Unused Evil Pieces]**_ _and not the_ _ **[King]**_ _piece. Wait a minute..."_

"Am-chan, what's this one?" Serafall asked awe as she pointed to a block of crystal that was the size of a **[King Piece]**.

"It's a crystal I transmuted." Ambrose explained as he walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder. "The crystals that's used to create **[Evil Pieces]** are really fascinating, capable of storing and amplifying both Holy and Demonic energy. However, I wasn't about to risk Sona's **[Evil Pieces]** in order to run a few experiments, so I transmuted a few duplicates of the crystal."

" _The Crystals of Agreas Island are the Devils rarest treasures and there's a very limited supply of them."_ Serafall thought as she stared at the crystal in wonder. _"There are only nine unused **[King]** Pieces, only nine more peerages can be made before we completely run out of **[Evil Pieces]**. The Maōs have been trying to figure out a way to make more in order to expand our numbers, but so far we've been unsuccessful. Am-chan, how did you do this?"_

"What other things did you find out?" Serafall asked, trying to sound casual. _"Just how many of our secrets have you discovered? How many answers do you have?"_

"Well, the most interesting thing about them are the tiny gold bands wrapped around them." Ambrose replied causing Serafall's heart to leap in her throat. "They look like decorations, but they have tiny runes on them which help channel the stored energy to enhance the specific traits each particular piece is known for. Endurance for the **[Rook]** , speed for the **[Knight].** The **[Pawn]** seems to be more adaptable, it probably has something to do with the **[Promotion]** ability."

"Were these the only pieces she lent you?" Serafall trepidatiously asked. _"Please tell me Sona didn't lend you her_ _ **[King Piece]**_ _. Please, oh please tell me Sona didn't lend you her_ _ **[King Piece]**_ _!"_

"No, why?" Ambrose asked her. "Is there something I should know?"

"Yes, it's impolite for you to hold on to Sona's **[Evil Pieces]**." Serafall replied, internally wincing at her chastising manner. Technically what he was doing wasn't wrong but she had to protect the secrets of the Devil Nation, at least until she could ascertain his allegiance. She also knew the other Maōs would be very interested learn of his success in transmuting the Agreas Crystal and would want to know more so they could replenish their supply. His importance to the Devil Nation was only growing the more time she spent with him, so she tried to soften her words so as not to seem too harsh. "I understand that So-tan lent them to you, but things like this are meant to be private… personal. I'm going to have to hold onto these so I can give them back to her. If you really want to know more about **[Evil Pieces]** then perhaps you should get a set for yourself."

"I'm not really interested in being a **[King]**." Ambrose said with a frown. "I have a hard enough time trusting people and I can't imagine being required to find 15 additional people to trust with my inner most secrets."

"You seem to have no problem trusting me." Serafall observed aloud.

"I do trust you, but it's because I know you and I know Sona." Ambrose replied with a smile. "You're greatest desire is to protect your sister and as long as I keep her safe then I have nothing to worry about."

His words were heartening, while at the same time she felt a little bad for keeping secrets from him while he'd been truthful and forthcoming with her. But the Maōs carried the burden of many secrets that protected the Devil Nation and Am-chan already knew one of their greatest: The death of the Biblical God.

" _I'm s_ _orry Am-chan, but you already know enough of the Mao's secrets."_ Serafall thought to herself. _"If you continued to investigate the_ _ **[Evil Pieces]**_ _then you might want to learn more about all of them, and for the sake of the Devil Nation I can't allow you to discover the secrets of the_ _ **[King Piece]**_ _."_

* * *

School was becoming more and more tedious, and truthfully Sona wished she could shed some of the responsibilities she had once been so eager to take up. Becoming student council president was one step in her larger goal of starting her own school, but ever since she and her fiance returned from the future Sona began to focus her energies on ensuring that her school would actually exist in the future rather than how it would run.

Right now she was feeling overworked and a little stressed out, which was why Sona decided to hold her meeting with Rias at the location of her choosing rather than at the Occult Research Club.

"I haven't been here in awhile." Rias said as the four girls entered Sona's private sauna and began to remove their towels.

"Have you been here often?" Akeno asked her **[King]** as she took note of the decorative crystals along the wall.

"Rias and I often used to talk about things in secret here." Sona commented as she handed Tsubaki her towel. "I had this sauna built for my personal use and brought it with me from the Underworld."

"This sauna is in an artificial dimension connected to Sona's apartment." Tsubaki explained to her fellow **[Queen]** , "Once we close the passage, no one can come in or overhear us."

"And what were those 'secrets' you two were discussing, hmm?" Akeno curiously asked as she leaned back and relaxed, accentuating her large breasts.

"Whining about our strict parents," Rias answered with a sigh, "And other silly gossip like that. I believe Sona talked about her sister alot."

"I wouldn't mind a little gossiping." Akeno commented, catching Sona's eye. "In fact, this reminds me something. Asia once said she caught you and Ambrose in a compromising position once. If I had to guess, I'd say you've recently become a woman."

Sona looked across and could tell both Rias and Akeno were both amused and interested in her answer, she was about to deny the accusation when Tsubaki unexpectedly snickered. Sona turned and gave her **[Queen]** a significant look.

"Ahem", Tsubaki said, falsely clearing her throat. "Please excuse me."

"Oh my, does that mean you're now accepting applicants for Ambrose's harem?" Akeno asked in delight, giving Sona a rather risqué look. "You're more than welcome to give me an inspection, if you like."

"I didn't ask you two here to gossip." Sona replied, unwilling to talk about her wayward fiance. _"Especially_ _not_ _with you, Akeno."_

Instead, Sona focused on the purpose of calling this meeting. "This morning I was approached by two members of the Church, two exorcist."

Her words immediately grabbed Rias's and Akeno's attention.

"Members of the Church haven't been to this city in a while." Rias recalled as Akeno covered her mouth in worry.

"They asked to speak with you Rias." Sona replied, giving her a rather meaningful look.

"Church affiliates want to meet with Devils?" Rias asked in disbelief. "You must be joking. What did you tell them?"

"I told them I would set up a meeting." Sona replied, magically cleaning her glasses. "After school tomorrow, they will visit your club room. However, there's something you should know…"

"The two of them are carrying holy swords with them." Tsubaki continued as Sona put her glasses back on.

"Holy Swords, in this city of all places? And so soon after our troubles with the Fallen Angels…" Rias comment as she thought about the implications. She abruptly stood up and shouted "Issei!"

"What? What about Hyoudou?" Sona asked in confusion, wondering what her friend was so worried about. "Is something wrong?"

"Yesterday, during the club cleaning, we learned that Issei is familiar with Church affiliates." Rias said with a frown. "We found a picture of him when he was young with a childhood friend of his, there was a Holy Sword in the background of the picture."

" _I'd say that was a coincidence, if I believed in coincidences."_ Sona privately thought to herself.

"Excuse me Sona, but I have to check on my **[Pawn]**." Rias said as she rushed to grabbed her towel and headed for the exit.

"Please excuse us." Akeno respectfully said with a bow and began to follow Rias. The **[Queen]** then paused at the entrance before turning to Sona. "I wasn't joking about my request to join Ambrose. I'd appreciate your consideration and I'm willing to be very accommodating to your needs, in any way you want."

"Keep me informed of the developments with Hyoudou." Sona requested as a false olive branch before glaring at Akeno as soon as her back was turned.

" _Once again the future is rushing to meet us and the universe keeps piling on more and more problems."_ Sona thought with a frown as she considered Akeno's rather bold request. _"It'll be a cold day in hell before I accept another woman, unfortunately I might not have any choice in the matter."_

It was truly an impossible situation. If Ambrose rejected the Gremory's offer then her mother would force her to choose once again; her engagement or her title. As much as she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, things weren't exactly marvelous between the two of them. There was also the fact that her peerage might be labeled as strays if she chose her fiance over her title again. The previous time she had made her decision in the heat of the moment, but she never intended on giving her peerage a death sentence for her own personal gain.

In contrast, if Ambrose accepted the Gremory's offer than a harem was almost certain and she would have to share him.

" _What am I going to do?"_ Sona thought as she tried to figure out a solution. _"What can I do? He doesn't even know the entire problem. And if he aid's the exorcists with out Onee-sama's approval then everything will colapse."_

"What are we going to do, Kaichō?" Tsubaki worriedly asked, echoing her own thoughts.

Sona turned and gave her **[Queen]** a confused look.

"About the Church and the Holy Swords." Tsubaki clarified, no doubt wondering why Sona's mind seemed to be so scattered.

"I wouldn't worry too much about the exorcists." Sona replied, trying give her **[Queen]** a what comfort she could. "While we were in the Underworld I decided to take your advice. I told my sister that this might happen. Last night Onee-sama secretly arrived in Kuoh."

"Really?" Tsubaki asked with a smile and a bit of relief. "That's good news… But why didn't we tell Rias?"

"Rias is in a bit of trouble." Sona replied with a bit of a grimace. "Currently her Governorship is under review and Onee-sama is observing how she handles this situation with the Church. Should things become too dangerous, Onee-sama will step in and take care of things."

"What a relief." Tsubaki said with a sigh as she leaned back in the sauna. "I guess that just leaves one other issue to sort out..."

"What's that?" Sona asked, wondering what her **[Queen]** was referring to. _"It isn't as if I don't have enough to worry about."_

"When are you going to work things out with Ambrose so you can begin accepting applicants for his harem?" Tsubaki asked with a grin.

"Maō, not you too." Sona frustratingly replied.

* * *

Sona tentatively entered Ambrose's home, feeling uncomfortable as if she were some uninvited guest or an intruder. She didn't enter with the same confidence she had last night, nor did she text him to let him know of her arrival today.

" _I just want to check on my Onee-sama. Her things weren't at my house, so I need to see if Am-chan knows where she is."_ Sona thought, making up an excuse for coming. _"No, that's not why I'm here. I need to be honest with myself… and with Am-chan. We can't let things go on as they have."_

Still, her resolve didn't prevent her from cautiously sneaking up the steps, so as not to disturb or be overheard by anyone. As she approached the door to Ambrose's laboratory she wondered how he would greet her. Would there be awkwardness? Hesitancy? Would he open his arms to embrace her? Whatever she was expecting, discovering her sister and fiance surrounded by a bunch of open books with a dismantled 'orb of truth' on the floor was the last thing expected to see.

"What's going on?" Sona asked in confusion as she looked around the disheveled lab.

"Oh, So-tan!" Serafall cheered happily as she tip toed around the books and disassembled pieces in order to give her a hug.

"What are you two doing?" Sona asked within Serafall's embrace, ignoring her sister's enthusiastic display of affection.

"~*~ So-tan! So-tan! ~*~" Serafall cooed.

"We're working on a little side project." Ambrose replied with a smile as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"We're going to make Magical Milky Girl's Shining Spiral Attack a reality!" Serefall brightly explained as she released Sona.

"Excuse me?" Sona asked in disbelief.

"We're expanding on your own idea." Ambrose explained. "The one where you can use high level magical attacks without hurting your peerage."

"We're making an improved version." Serafall brightly continued. "One that uses the power of love to defeat the bad guys and save the day!"

"It's a variation, one that measures the affinity between people to determine how much damage the attack does." Ambrose clarified for her benefit.

Sona was feeling a bit overwhelmed by what they were saying, but she was even more surprise that her sister was decidedly serious about something so monumental, given her poor work habits. _"Though I suppose any task related to magical girls would keep her interest_ _ed_ _."_

"I was worried when I didn't see your things in my apartment, Onee-sama." Sona said in an attempt to explain her unannounced presence. "I was worried about you."

"Aww, So-tan was worried about me?" Serafall asked as she hugged her once more and rubbed their cheeks together. "No need to worry, I brought all my things here. I'm going to move in with Am-chan!"

"You're What?!" Sona shouted in disbelief. _"Why do you get to move in with him? I haven't moved in with Am-chan yet!"_

"I'm moving in with him, silly So-tan." Serafall playfully answered. "His house is better hidden than yours. Plus, I can keep track of any magical signatures that pop up with the sensors he's already placed around Kuoh. It's a really good hide away and base for my secret mission."

"Well, in that case I'm moving in here too!" Sona loudly declared before giving Ambrose an uncomfortable look. "That is… if it's okay with you."

"It's fine with me." Ambrose replied without hesitation or any trace of awkwardness.

Sona's heart suddenly felt a bit more at ease and she gave him a grateful smile.

"Am-chan said you saw the exorcists today." Serafall casually mentioned, though Sona could tell she was far more serious about the issue than her tone suggested. "How did that go?"

"Surprisingly well. While they were guarded, they weren't the blood thirsty zealots I had expected them to be." Sona admitted as she recalled the meeting. She then gave her fiance a serious look, "That doesn't mean I think we should make an alliance with them."

"Onee-san and I have been talking about it." Ambrose explained, though Serafall didn't protest against the familiar way he addressed her. "We both agree that we need more information about them and what's going on."

"Am-chan says he won't aid the exorcists unless I allow it. In return, I promised to give his idea serious consideration." Serafall said to Sona's absolute relief. "In order to get more information about the situation, Am-chan sneaked into the Occult Research Club and planted a few surveillance devices."

"You did?" Sona asked her fiance, knowing that spying was more of her sister's forte.

Serafall lightly elbowed Ambrose and he uncomfortably spoke up. "Yeah, I did."

" _Right..."_ Sona thought, clearly seeing through her sister's ruse. "Well, I see you two have been busy but you should know there's been an additional development. Apparently, Hyoudou might have some connection to members of the Church. I'm not certain if knows these two exorcists, but he has been exposed to Holy Swords before. Rias told me how she found a picture of Hyoudou as a boy with a childhood friend, a Holy Sword was in the background of the picture. It's too much of a coincidence to ignore."

"That could complicate things." Ambrose commented as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "Well, it's certainly something to keep in mind when we observe their meeting tomorrow… In the meantime, I had best get started on dinner."

"Do you want some help?" Sona hesitantly offered in an attempt to spend some time alone with him.

"Not to worry, I'll take care of it." Ambrose said with a smile. "Make yourself at home."

Sona forlornly watched him leave in order to begin dinner preparations. _"Although I'm making progress, it still feels like he's out of my reach."_

"Sona, what's going on with you two?" Serafall suddenly spoke up, gaining her attention.

"It's complicated." Sona reluctantly admitted.

"So-tan." Serafall whined as she pounced on Sona and refused to let her go. "We're sisters, you're suppose to share everything with me. Let your Onee-sama help."

Sona sighed as she collected her thoughts. "It's a lot of different things, but you've already helped tremendously by being here. It's a huge relief to know he won't go off on his own and aid the exorcists without your approval."

"Assuming he listens to me..." Serafall muttered with a frown.

"I'm certain he will, you're very special to him..." Sona replied before trailing off, "I just wish he listened to me more."

"What do you mean?" Serafall asked.

"I've been trying to make him understand that aiding the exorcists was a huge risk." Sona said, growing frustrated as she recalled their argument. "I'm his fiance, why is he listening to you over me?"

"You don't know?" Serafall asked as if the answer was obvious. "He wants to do it for you."

"What are you talking about?" Sona asked, wanting to know more.

"Sona..." Serafall said with a smile. "He wants to protect you. He's trying his best to change the future on his own, and he thinks aiding the exorcists will help create an alliance. He wanted to shield you from the repercussions if his plan fails, that way it would only be him who would become a traitor and not you."

"That's..." Sona stuttered, her eyes welling up with tears as the truth behind Serafalls words started to make sense.

"Stupid, yes." Serafall said with a smile. "His heart's in the right place but he's just doing what he thinks is right. Besides, you can't blame him when he doesn't know the whole truth and the consequences of his actions."

"I haven't really had time to discuss the responsibilities of being a member of the 33 Pillars with him." Sona replied, wanting to sit down with him now more than ever, yet at the same time worried she might make things worse.

"You've also been hiding the consequences from him as well." Serafall continued to lectured her, "How is he suppose to make the right decision when you won't even tell him what will happen to you if he rejects the Gremory's offer?"

"I don't want to influence his decision." Sona defiantly replied, "He might grow to resent me if I force him to make a choice that benefits me."

"We talked about the Gremory's and he might be coming around, so long as we continue to address his feelings about it." Serafall said. "His biggest concerns seemed to be his perception of the title of The Son of Lucifer…. And Rias, he really doesn't like her."

"No, he doesn't." Sona said with a small chuckle. "He usually just clams up when I try to talk to him about it."

"Do you try to talk to him about it?" Serafall asked, giving Sona a rather serious look. "I know you better than anyone. Did you ask him how he felt or did you tell him how he was wrong and he needed to do things your way?"

"I… maybe a little..." Sona shamefully admitted.

"And you say you're not trying to influence his decisions." Serafall playfully scolded her while rolling her eyes. "This is a big deal for him, life changing. What he's feeling isn't wrong, but you have to be there to listen to him and address his concerns. You can't tell him he's wrong for feeling a certain way."

"Why are you helping me?" Sona asked, knowing her sister really wanted to keep her for herself. "I thought you would try to push us apart."

"It crossed my mind when I first met him." Serafall embarrassingly admitted, "But the more I learn about him the more I realized…."

"The more you realized... what?" Sona asked, pressing Serafall to answer.

"The More I Realized I Have To Keep Him Out Of Heaven's Clutches!" Serafall resolutely said, raising her fist in the air as if she were defying Heaven itself.

"Onee-sama! Am-chan doesn't want any of the factions fighting over him!" Sona protested, hoping her sister wouldn't cause a scene.

"No one is fighting over him, at least not right now. But trust me Sona, he's going to be very important to the Devil Nation… that is if we're able to keep him. That's why I want to give him every reason I can to make sure he remains aligned with us." Serafall reluctantly admitted. "Unfortunately, I doubt he'll be able to keep the **[Master Key]** a secret forever. Eventually everyone's going to find out and they'll all want a piece of him: Angels, Fallen Angels, Yōkai, Vampires, Heroes, everyone. In fact, if an alliance is formed then it might be based on a harem forming around him."

"Onee-sama! I don't want a harem forming around him!" Sona complained, venting her frustrations due to all the women that were already trying to make their move. "Akeno practically made an official request today, and I've already got Reya and Tsubasa circling around him! Tsubaki's probably interested in him too! That's not even considering the human girls who are eyeing him up in school! I can barely stand the competition as it is! What am I suppose to do when all the factions, all the yōkai, and all other supernaturals come?! I can't compete with that!"

"Then don't compete against them, take charge and manage the harem." Serafall said to her. "That way you can ensure that the only women who join are those who can actually contribute to both of your goals rather than those who simply want to leech off of what you two can provide."

"I don't know if I can do that." Sona grudgingly admitted. "Onee-sama, will you help me?"

Serafall blushed a bit as she carefully considered her response. _"If I married Am-chan along with So-tan then it certainly would provide a huge line of defense against those who would try to sponge off their accomplishments. Even Lord Gremory would think twice before arranging an engagement with his grandson if he were already promised to a Maō. He is nice and we had a lot of fun today... Not many people are interested in Magical Girls, and he's even making Magical Milky's attack into a real thing. Am-chan did say he wanted to be my Onii-chan and that way Sona and I can be a family..."_

"Maybe… I'll give it some thought." Serafall delicately replied to her sister, promising to start seriously considering Am-chan as a possible husband.

"Thank you, Onee-sama." Sona said as she hugged her in gratitude.

"We should go check on Am-chan and see if he needs a little help." Serafall said as she gave Sona a light squeeze. "And after that you two need to have a serious talk."

"Of course, Onee-sama." Sona replied with a smile.

"Just don't get all lovey-dovey in front of me." Serafall said with a pout. "Otherwise I'll have to break you two up."

"Whatever you say, Onee-sama." Sona replied, giving her big sister a kiss on the forehead before heading out of the lab. "They'll be plenty of time for me to get lovey-dovey with him tonight when I'm sleeping in his room."

"What? No Sona!" Serafall shouted out, but Sona was already running down the hall while laughing, causing Serafall to chase after her. "Sona!"

Feeling more lighthearted than she had in days, Sona lead her sister in a merry chase across the hall, and down the stairs. Unfortunately, the pleasant mood was over as soon as she stepped into the kitchen, causing Sona to stop in her tracks.

Serafall couldn't see in the kitchen and ran into Sona due to the unexpected end to their chase. "Oww, Sona, why did you do that?"

But Sona didn't answer, her eyes were glued to her fiance who looked more depressed than she had ever seen him. He sat at the kitchen table with an open letter spread out before him as he stared off into some unseen distance.

"Am-chan..." Sona hesitantly said, though she received no response. She cautiously walked towards him and touched his shoulder. "Am-chan, what's wrong?"

Slowly he turned to her and listlessly looked into her eyes. "I just received a subpoena from the Rosicrucianism, the magic circle I joined out of school. They've discovered the Gremory's claims that I'm a devil and I have to appear before them to answer to the crimes of Fraud and Tax Evasion. In the meantime, my business, business accounts, and holdings have been suspended until a verdict is reached."

"What?" Sona alarmingly asked. "How could they do that?"

"You're the sole owner of you're business, aren't you?" Serafall asked with a touch of sadness, realizing what was going on. "Sona, do you know why magicians and devils make pacts?"

"Usually magicians make pacts with devils for three reason. Protection, information and resources to the Underworld, or to increase their renown." Sona answered.

"And why do devils create pacts with magicians?" Serafall rhetorically asked.

Sona's immediately replied as she recalled her early lessons. "Devils do it so they can influence the human realm."

"Yes, but it's more complicated than that." Serafall said as she began to explain. "Devils aren't allowed to own 100% of any business or property here in the human world, otherwise the Devil race would have taken over Earth millennia ago through economic means. The way we influence the human realm though our pacts is by sharing a bit of the profits with magicians, or through contracts with humans. The price of doing business in the human realm is allowing magicians a portion of ownership, that's the reason why we make pacts."

"Devils also pay a higher tax rate to do business in the human realm, the same as any foreign business." Ambrose spoke up as he continued to stare at his subpoena. "All this time I thought I was a magician and now I suddenly owe a fortune in back taxes; that's not even considering the fines I've accrued. I'll probably have to declare bankruptcy."

"Listen, if you need money then I can help." Sona offered, wanting to ease his burden.

"The last thing I need is a devil investing in the business when the problem is a devil already being the sole owner of the business. Besides, it isn't about the money." Ambrose replied, giving her a serious look. "My business is an LLC, so I'm financially protected. It's the business that will fail, and everything along with the business will be repossessed."

"Can't you transmute the gold you need in order to pay everything off?" Sona asked, hoping to find an acceptable solution.

"It would raise too many questions if my business was suddenly flushed with cash from an unknown source." Ambrose answered. "I'm already going to be audited, if they find out I can transmute gold then I'd be in even more trouble. But that's not what has me worried."

"It gets worse?" Sona trepidatiously asked.

"An important part of my business holdings is a large piece of property, a valley off the French Alps." Ambrose said, giving her a look she didn't recognize. "Sona, unless I figure out a way to refute the Gremory's claim and prove I'm not a devil… they're going to repossess Oasis."

Sona's face turned white as the seriousness of the situation became clear. _"Am-chan could lose Oasis, everything he's worked for unless he's able to prove that the Gremory's claim is false. But if he doesn't accept the Gremory as family then I could be cast out of my Clan or our engagement could be terminated."_

* * *

Happy New Year.

Really love the reviews and want to thank everyone for the coments, favorites, and follows.

Been getting a few comments about Saji. Should he keep being the punching bag or not? I could go either way, but it might be more interesting for you all if he continued as is.


	25. Season 2, Chapter 3

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

"This is all my fault." Sona wearily said as she began to fully grasp the situation.

In a way it was a harsh reminder that the best intentions could sometimes have disastrous consequences. Sona knew they were headed towards a terrible and desolate future; however, she let herself believe that every step she took was the right one. But now Oasis, their sole source of information about the future, was in jeopardy because of her actions. It was a sobering testament to the uncertainty of their course and how everything could be derailed in an instant.

"How is this your fault?" Serafall questioned with clear disbelief written on her face.

"If I hadn't pushed Am-chan to help Rias then maybe none of this would have happened." Sona explained as her mind began analyzing different scenarios on how this debacle could have been avoided.

"I think there's enough blame to go around." Ambrose replied with a grim face. " I shouldn't have allowed you to convince me to get involved in their affairs. I could have refused to help Rias. And I shouldn't have ignored the possibility that... I could be related to Maō Lucifer. Regardless, I think most of the blame lays on the Gremory Clan for announcing this information without even discussing it with me. What the hell were they even thinking? I should have been the first to know!"

"Sirzechs-chan and Lord Gremory are often blind when it comes to family." Serafall awkwardly admitted with an embarrassed smile. "They probably didn't consider how this would affect you."

"They didn't consider how this would affect me? Is that suppose to reassure me?" Ambrose asked the Maō in disbelief.

"No." Serafall answered, her smile vanishing an adopting a concerned look. "But I'm certain they didn't mean any harm by it."

"Whether or not they meant any harm is irrelevant as this point." Ambrose irritably replied. "The damage has been done. Their disregard for my own wishes and lack of courtesy have threaten my most important asset. They didn't even have the decency to tell me the truth before they announced it to the world. Now I have to figure out how to salvage my business, and I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish it."

"Are… are you going to try to refute the Gremory's claim?" Sona reluctantly asked, dreading his answer. _"His business and Oasis is his life's work, our key to the future. But my own future as the heiress of Sitri is entirely dependent on Ambrose becoming a Gremory."_

"Honestly, I don't even know if I could successfully disprove it." Ambrose frustratingly admitted. "The only thing I have that might challenge their case is the fact that that my DNA isn't a complete match against the sample they have for Milicas. Unfortunately, presenting my DNA as evidence isn't an option."

"Why not?" Serafall curiously asked. "You said so yourself, it's not an exact match. It could be enough to convince Rosicrucianism that you're not a devil."

"I tested the sample Ms. Grayfia provided, and although it pains me to admit it, their claim is true. I am, or was, Millicas." Ambrose grudgingly explained. "While my DNA has been altered due to the Old Deus's attempt to transform me and take control of my body, the difference between the DNA sequences isn't enough to prove I'm not a devil. If anything, it proves that I'm genetically half devil. Since 'Milicas' is known to be a pure blooded devil then people will start to raise questions; they'll wonder what the other half is."

"And if they dig too deeply then it might expose the [Master Key]." Serafall concluded with a frown.

"Are there any other options available?" Sona worriedly asked, hoping to find a solution that could satisfy all parties.

"If the Gremory Clan retracted the article then this whole thing might go away. I've already tried speaking to Rias, hoping that we could reach a compromise or make some sort of agreement. She adamantly refused to even entertain the idea and wouldn't even pass on my request to her family."

"I'm not surprised." Serafall commented in an offhanded manner. "The reputation of the Gremory family took a hit when Rias essentially paid for her victory against the Phenex Clan. People have begun to question her capability to lead. If you become a member of the Gremory Clan then the criticism against Rias can effectively be silenced."

"If helping Rias was such a big deal then why was I allowed to help in the first place?" Ambrose questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"It's fine to hire help if you're peerage isn't complete." Sona uncomfortably answered. "But to that person completely and overwhelmingly win a Rating Game for you is bad form."

"However, if you're a member of the Gremory Clan then the scandal can all be swept under the rug." Serafall helpfully continued. "Despite all appearances, it would then be considered an internal clan matter."

"So the Gremory's have a vested interest in making me officially part of their Clan in order to salvage Rias's honor, which means they'll fight any attempt I make to publicly contradict their claims." Ambrose frustratingly realized.

"Have you considered.. accepting the truth, publicly becoming a Gremory?" Serafall cautiously asked.

Ambrose gave Serafall a rather dubious look which expressed his skepticism. "Why would I want that? Becoming a member of the Gremory Clan means I would lose my own independence. As I understand it, all my actions would be judged and scrutinized by Lord Gremory; who, for all intents and purposes, is a stranger to me. Worse, I would also have to defer to the heiress apparent, Rias."

"I doubt they'd force you to do anything you wouldn't want to do." Sona said, trying to address his concerns. "The Gremory's are known for doting on their servants and practically spoiling their family."

"They're already using heavy handed tactics to force me to join their Clan and they did this without even discussing the issue with me. Hell, even Rias tried to force me to be her servant before we even met. Why would I expect them to change the way they treat me when they'd have legitimate authority over me as an official member of their Clan?" Ambrose quickly replied. "I have my own goals, my own mission. I've been trying to create alliances with other groups like the Yōkai and I really don't want to ask for permission for every action I take. That's not even considering the damage they could do to my plans. The Gremory Clan doesn't realize it, but they've nearly cost me one of my greatest assets without even trying. Oasis is the key to knowing the future. If we… When we stop Kokabiel and prevent another Great Celestial War then we'll essentially be flying blind to any future threats."

"At the risk of sounding cliché, allow me to play the devil's advocate." Serafall spoke up, knowing that Sona's future was also tied to Ambrose's acceptance into the Gremory Clan. "There are benefits to accepting the Gremory's offer, along with being recognized as the son of Maō Lucifer."

"For instance?" Ambrose skeptically asked.

"Well, since you like looking at the downside of things, let's start with the fact that you could be labeled a stray if you refuse." Serafall began with a teasing smile. "Then you'd have the Angels, Fallen Angels, and all the rogues trying to kill you whenever you crossed their paths."

"Once the news of the Gremory's claim begins to circulate then they're going to try to kill me anyways." Ambrose replied with a frown.

"Yes, but if you weren't a stray then you would have the protection of the Gremory Clan and Maō Lucifer." Serafall helpfully added. "None of the factions would dare attack you due to the political fallout."

"That doesn't seem to prevent Kokabiel or the Fallen Angels from attacking Rias and Sona." Ambrose quickly replied.

"Well..." Serafall trailed off for a moment in order to gather her thoughts. "If it makes you feel any better, the Devil Nation would be happy to negotiate a contract for your fertility enhancers."

"At least there's that..." Ambrose forlornly replied. "Glad to know I can still be of some use when the Great Celestial War is upon us..."

"You should also consider how this will affect your engagement with Sona." Serafall unexpectedly added.

"Onee-sama!" Sona alarmingly protested. "I asked you not to say anything."

Serafall turned to her sister and replied in a firm tone. "If he's going to make an informed decision then he needs to know everything So-tan. He need to understand his status and responsibilities as a member of the remaining 33 Pillars, as well as the consequences if he doesn't accept."

"What is she talking about?" Ambrose asked, turning to Sona with a piercing look.

Sona couldn't help but wince for a moment before she tentatively admitted. "Well… you see… the truth is that the only reason I've retained my status as heiress to the Sitri Clan was because you're the son of Maō Lucifer. If you deny the Gremory's claim then it's possible I could lose my status and become a stray devil along with you."

Ambrose gaze hardened, giving Sona a look she had never seen before.

"Serafall," He said while keeping his eyes on Sona. "Would you excuse Sona and I for a moment? We need to speak privately."

"Okay..." Serafall awkwardly agreed as Ambrose grabbed Sona's arm and lead out of the kitchen in and into the dining room before he suddenly stopped and angrily turned to her.

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked her in a harsh whisper.

"I-I didn't want my situation to influence your decision." Sona admitted with a frown. "You're already under so much pressure. If you accepted the Gremory's offer just to be with me then I fear you'd resent me for it."

"Because you'd never tried to influence my decisions before." Ambrose sarcastically replied, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands in the air in exasperation.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Sona heatedly retorted.

"All you've been doing since we came back from the future was try to influence what I do, what actions to take. Helping Rias, forming a contract with Gasper are just a few things that immediately come to mind, though I'm sure there are others. But the one time, the very first time that I suggest that we do something you don't agree with, what do you do? You left! You walked out on me because you didn't get your way!"

Sona blinked to hold back the tears that were quickly forming as the harsh but truthful words set in. "I don't always get my way. You've convinced me to do things that I normally wouldn't have agreed to before."

"Yes, I convinced you." Ambrose quickly replied. "I talked to you, reasoned with you. I didn't go behind your back and set up schemes to direct you to do what I wanted. I was always upfront and honest with you. I gave you the answers to make an informed decision, even if you didn't like what those answers were. Even when you first met me I told you everything, despite my own personal reservations, because I wanted you to know the truth. I never manipulated you. How am I suppose to make an informed decision when you hide things from me? How am I suppose to make the hard choices if you'll simply walkout on me when you don't get your way?"

As sense of overwhelming guilt moved down her throat and settled into her stomach, Sona began to truly feel completely powerless.

"I can't exactly excuse my behavior." Sona dejectedly realized as she weakly offered an apology she knew would offer no real help. "I'm sorry."

"I suppose this is why your parents were so eager to impress me; if I don't accept the Gremory's offer then they'll be without an heir." Ambrose frustratingly muttered before his eyes suddenly grew wide. "And the Phenex Clan. _**Merde.**_ [Shit.] … if I don't have a store to sell the Phenex Tear Elixir, if I fail to uphold my end of the bargain then my entire deal with the Phenex Clan can be voided. We'd lose our access to the Elixir. It could ignite a conflict between the Gremory and Phenex Clans, as well as your own Clan."

 _"This is getting worse by the minute."_ Sona anxiously thought as another complication made iteself known. "I take it this means your deal with the Yōkai is in jeopardy as well."

"Probably." Ambrose forlornly admitted before he furrowed his brow in concentration. "I need to figure out how to get ahead of this before it spirals out of control. The Yuki-onna will still need a few months in order to confirm my potions work as promised, but Lord Phenex will expect me to immediately honor our agreement at the end of the month. If I'm going to somehow find a way to secure Oasis and be able to deliver on what I promised to both the Phenex Clan and the Yuki-onna, then I have until the end of the month to solve this."

"The end of the month is in less than two weeks!" Sona alarmingly pointed out.

"Ideally, I'd like to have this wrapped up in time for my judiciary hearing." Ambrose commented as he gained a thoughtful look.

"Listen... I know we've been having problems, and I'm not sure what I can do, but... Whatever you need. Anything at all, just tell me and I'll do it." Sona promised, feeling quite helpless given the situation.

Ambrose paused and gave her a rather uncomfortable look, as if he knew she wouldn't like what he was about to say. "I have to return to France."

"You're leaving? Now?" Sona asked in astonishment as panic and a sense of abandonment set in. "Kokabiel is set to attack soon, we need you here!"

"I'm only leaving for the evening; besides, he's not attacking right now." Ambrose said as he looked at his watch. "Look, it's only 1pm in France. It's still early enough for me to contact my lawyer."

"Can't you do that over the phone?" Sona asked, secretly afraid he might not return.

"Yes, but there are a few other people I want to see." Ambrose explained with some urgency. "I have a few friends in the Rosicrucianism I can call on; people who owe me favors or who I've built a good relationship with. They might have some important information, something that could help me defend Oasis."

"Sounds like you have some powerful friends." Sona observed aloud, still feeling uncomfortable about her fiance leaving Kuoh. _"No, this is something he needs to do. I just wish my heart could accept this."_

"Well, maybe not powerful but definitely well connected." Ambrose explained. "One of my old professors, Euberhard Lehmann, has a veritable list of 'who's who' of Rosicrucianism. He's not politically powerful, but he has an impressive list of contacts and a good eye for talented people. He believed in a socially awkward orphan who was too smart for his own good. He saw my talent for magic, enrolled me in the accelerated learning program so I could graduate earlier. We went on archaeological and curse breaking expeditions to Egypt. He also sponsored my enrollment into the Rosicrucianism. I consider him to be a good friend."

Sona frowned for a moment, both in disappointment that he would be leaving and after being reminded there were still things about his past that she wasn't aware of. Nevertheless, no matter how much she disliked the idea of him leaving… _'Or fearing he might not come back...'_ Sona could see the logic behind his actions.

"You'll… you'll come back, won't you?" The traitorous part of her heart involuntarily asked.

"Of course, Kokabiel is due to attack any day now; we're at a critical junction. I'll take a potent invigoration elixir before I go so I won't need to sleep, but I should be back in time for class." Ambrose replied giving her a comforting smile. "Besides… you and I still need to work things out."

"And I do want to work things out." Sona firmly stated as she moved in close and kissed him for the first time in days. _"Maō, I have missed this."_

Sona molded herself to his body, her fingers brushed against the back of his neck and ran through his hair.

Just as the kiss was about to really heat up, Ambrose suddenly pulled away. "I really should get going if I'm going to get anything done. I'll see you tomorrow... We'll talk then."

"Okay." Sona breathlessly replied, though she made no move to extract herself from him. "Tomorrow."

It was a bittersweet parting, one filled with hope but also reminding her that their relationship still needed work.

 _"Alot of work. Though, quite honestly I can understand his grievances."_ Sona thought as she reflected on her past actions. _"My behavior has been inexcusable and he has every right to be upset. He's always been upfront and honest with me. What ever gave me the idea that manipulating him was a good idea...?"_

Suddenly Sona's eyes went wide in horror the answer suddenly came to her. So great was her epiphany, that she barely registered the blaring sound of the smoke alarm.

 **"FIRE!"** Sona heard her Onee-sama scream as she raced through to the kitchen that was beginning to fill with smoke.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Serafall yelled as Sona watched her sister grab a flaming pan without oven mitts and rush towards the sink. "Hot, hot, hot, hot!"

Serafall quickly dropped the singed pan into the sink and turned on the water. Soon the fire was extinguished as a final plume of black smoke rose from the charred remains.

Embarrassed by the state of things, Serafall unnecessarily said with light blush. "I thought I'd surprise you both by cooking dinner."

Seeing that the disaster was in hand, and still in shock over her recent revelation, Sona didn't have the energy to reply. She simply walked past her Onee-sama and opened the wine cabinet.

"Sorry, So-tan..." Serafall said, waiting for the inevitable scolding from her sister. "Do you think Am-chan will be upset when he sees this mess?"

"He's not here." Sona said as she grabbed a glass and a bottle of wine. "He went to Europe to talk to his lawyer."

"He left us?!" Serafall alarmingly asked. "But… we need him here."

"He'll be back in time for class tomorrow." Sona said, popping the cork and pouring herself a generous helping. "But right now the problems with his business takes precedent."

"Are you upset because he's putting his business before your relationship?" Serafall worriedly asked as she watched her sister uncharacteristically pour her self a glass of wine.

"No, it's not that." Sona replied with a frown. "Oasis is important to him, and it's important for us to know what's coming."

"So, why are you drinking?" Serafall curiously asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I think… I think I'm turning into mother." Sona morosely replied before tilting the glass and emptying it in one go.

Her sister's eyes widened in surprised. "Did he say that?"

"No, I'm saying that." Sona bleakly answered as she stared at her empty glass. "Am-chan doesn't know mother that well, though he figured out why she was so nice to him."

"So why do you think you're turning into mother?" Serafall worriedly asked.

"Because I've been manipulating him when he doesn't do what I want him to." Sona sulkily replied. "I wanted him to help Rias with her Rating Game so I convinced him to accept a contract with Gaspar in order to bring them closer. I practically pushed him into accepting Riser's challenge when I found out he could actually compete in the Rating Game. And the first time we had a disagreement I abandoned him... I'm treating him just as Mother has treated Father for all these years."

Serafall frowned for a moment before grabbing the bottle and refilling Sona's glass.

"Thanks." Sona muttered before taking a sip.

"Neither of us exactly have the best role models for a healthy relationship." Serafall spoke with a sense of gentle understanding. "Mama has always bullied Daddy to do what she wants."

"Which is why father spends all his time at the hospital." Sona reflected for a moment. "How did things become so difficult? It was so much easier when it was just the two of us. Despite the horrible state of things in the future, everything was so much simpler when it was just us. Him and me versus the wasteland."

"What was it like, the future?" Serafall worriedly asked. "I know a bit about what's suppose to happen, but how does it all turn out?"

"It's terrible. The entire world is a wasteland and the only life that exists is are the monsters who inhabit it. That plot of land Am-chan is trying to save is the only place people exists. The humans there live simple lives, they were kind but also superstitious."

"More superstitious than they are now?" Serafall asked in surprised.

"Much more than they are now." Sona answered, giving her Onee-sama a serious look. "One time he and I went out on a date, they were celebrating the 500th anniversary of Oasis's founding. We dressed up as locals, though we were really tourists. It was fine at first but some how we got between a fight between the villagers. Things got crazy pretty quickly and two churches burned down that night."

"Sounds like a fun date." Serafall said with a light chuckle.

"At the time it wasn't, but looking back on it now… it was actually pretty fun." Sona wistfully replied. "Despite how horrible the future was, I find myself missing the closeness we shared. Now we're both so stressed because we're trying to make the future into something better and I feel like I'm losing him."

"So do something about it." Serafall encouraged with a smile.

"But I don't know what to do!" Sona complained.

"You know what not to do." Serafall replied with a smile.

"What?" Sona asked in confusion. "That makes no sense."

Her Onee-sama gave Sona an encouraging look. "It sounds as if you know what's bothering him… and you've also decided that you don't like the how you've been behaving lately. So… you should simply change it and everything will be better. You know what you've done wrong so admit it, address it, and promise him you won't do it again."

Though her sister could often make strange leaps of logic, Sona couldn't help but nod her head in agreement. "You know, you're right. I've been manipulative, and selfish, and that stops now. Tomorrow Am-chan and I are going to sit down, have a nice long talk, and work things out for good."

"Good, then you won't be needing this anymore." Serafall said, snatching the wine glass out of her hand before taking a drink.

"Onee-sama, don't!" Sona loudly protested as she snatched the glass away before emptying it in the sink. "I know how frisky you get when you've drank too much."

"Oh?" Serafall asked with a smile before she suddenly grabbed the entire bottle and ran out of the kitchen, laughing.

"Onee-sama!" Sona yelled as she ran after her sister.

* * *

Germany: 7 Hours Later.

The sun was beginning to set in college town of Heidelberg as Ambrose quietly walked down the sidewalk. It was a rather affluent neighborhood lined with expensive houses on his left and the river Rhine on his right. Despite the fact that he had taken a Potent Invigoration Elixir before he left, he was feeling exhausted; mentally exhausted. After being snubbed and turned away from practically every would be friend or acquaintance who might owe him a favor, Ambrose was quickly running out of options and the risk of losing everything was becoming more and more certain.

"The moment they start talking about you is the moment they stop talking to you." Ambrose mused as he reached his final destination and knocked on the door.

A young woman in her early twenties dressed in a Gothic dress and adorned with too many ribbons for her short hair answered the door with a rather impatient look on her face.

"Yeah, what is it?" She briskly asked before her face twisted to an arrogant and cruel smile. "Oh, it's you."

"Have we met before Fraulein?" Ambrose asked as he tried to place a name with the face he was seeing. _"From my point of view it's been centuries since I've been here. It can't be helped that I might have forgotten people I've met in passing."_

"No, devil. We've never met." The girl answered as she crossed her arms and leaned against the door rail.

An awkward silence settled over the pair as Ambrose felt she was weighing and measuring him, though he didn't know for what. "I'm looking for Herr Lehmann, does he still live here?"

"Heh, not for long." The girls said as her lip curled in amusement at her own private joke. "You caught him just in time."

Without another word the girl left Ambrose at the door and made her way deeper inside. As she reached the end of the hall way, she turned and raised an eyebrow. "Well, are you coming?"

"It's impolite to enter a home without being invited." Ambrose said as stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"Well, aren't you proper?" The woman said, rolling her eyes sarcastically before walking through a door.

As Ambrose cautously followed her, he could hear her loudly talking to the room's occupant before he could even see inside. "Hey, you've got a guest."

Stepping through the door, Ambrose entered a small but comfortable library. Books and papers were strewn and scattered through out the place as if they were in the process of being hastily packed away. There, with an armful of books in his hand, was Euberhard Lehmann.

In the secluded school of the Slovenian Institute of Magic and Sorcery, Herr Professor Lehmann was one of the most popular teachers. He was very intelligent, charismatic, and held the appearance of someone in his mid-twenties. When Ambrose was a student, Euberhard Lehmann was one of the most popular teachers; botstudents and teachers admired him for his magical talents and ability to impart knowledge, while the female population often admired him for his good looks. Despite his youthful appearance, his long braided silver hair and the wisdom behind his silver eyes was a reminder that he was older than he appeared.

"Ambrose?" Euberhard rhetorically asked as he turned and set his books down, turning to face his former pupil. "I'm surprised to see you."

"If it's an unwelcome surprise I can always leave." Ambrose replied, not wanting to get into a fight with his old professor. "I've grown quite used to it today."

"Nonsense, please come in." Euberhard warmly smiled, waving off his concerns. "I'd offer you some refreshments, but as you can see things are a bit disorganized right now."

"Thank you. It's good to see a friendly face." Ambrose smiled in return as he and his old teacher shook hands.

The girl gave a rather indignant huff of annoyance before she swiftly turned and left the pair alone, stomping loudly and slamming the door behind her.

Ambrose couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at the woman's attitude.

"You'll have to forgive Walburga." Euberhard said, weakly excusing her behavior. "She doesn't really like anyone, so I wouldn't take her attitude personally."

"To be honest, I've been getting a lot of those looks today." Ambrose commented before turning away from the rude woman and giving his old professor his complete attention. "You should have seen the Dean's face when I showed up at the old school looking for you. He practically threw your address at me if only to get me out of his sight. To be honest, I had a hell of a time tracking you down. Not only did you quit teaching, but I hear you've quit Rosicrucianism as well. And now it appears you're moving in quite a hurry. Is everything alright?"

"Things aren't what they used to be." Euberhard uncomfortably explained before he thoughtfully added. "Or perhaps things are simply being revealed for what they truly are."

"Oh?" Ambrose replied, urging him to continue.

"I figured it was time for a change, given the current political climate." Euberhard said as he poured two drinks for the two of them. "Things have been a bit tense in the Rosicrucianism, the factions within have been pushing the circle to pick a side in the celestial 'tug-of-war'. Rational minds, ones that encouraged neutrality and non-involvement, used to prevail but now news of your… 'heritage' has caused nearly everyone to lose their minds. There's a group of people who've been campaigning for closer ties to the Church and Heaven, they're using this scandal to further their agenda. You've also pissed off the group of individuals who want to stay out of celestial politics; both groups have united to see that you're kicked out."

Ambrose couldn't help but close his eyes and rub his temple, fighting off a headache.

"I'm afraid your hearing has more to do with the future of Rosicrucianism than it has to do with you." Euberhard continued, sounding remorseful. "Bottoms up."

The pair clinked their glasses and took a generous swig.

"Today just keeps getting better and better." Ambrose sarcastically muttered.

"Ambrose, what happened to you? Where have you been? You disappeared for months without a word. Now, your face is suddenly plastered in every paper, announcing you as the 'Son of Lucifer'. Bah! As if they'd know anything about the real Lucifer. Tell me, what were you thinking? Why go to Japan and get yourself involved with that little devil girl?" Euberhard asked, giving him a look as if he were a student who got caught doing something foolish.

"I needed something done, something only a devil could do." Ambrose dissembled without going into any details. "I thought I could handle a younger, less experienced devil."

"And wound up getting engaged to her in the process." Euberhard chucked in amusement. "I think you and I have a different opinion on how to handle a devil. By the way, how did that happen?"

"Let's just say that devils hate being beaten at their own game." Ambrose answered with a self deprecating smile.

"I always warned you about getting involved with devils." Euberhard sternly reminded him, scolding him like a schoolboy. "I warned you that they bring nothing but trouble."

"Fine, I'll admit it. You were right." Ambrose replied, frustration lacing his tone. "Now quit acting like you're trying to be my father. I already have someone trying to apply for the job."

"Despite all that I've done for you, I never saw you as my son." Euberhard replied before taking on a teasing grin. "Though, maybe as a favorite nephew."

Ambrose snickered at the joke before he continued to vent his own frustrations. "The worst part is that I never saw this coming. If only they would have properly discussed this with me then I might have been able to keep it a secret. Instead, they announce it for all the realms, leaving me to be the last person to hear about it."

"You mean they didn't tell you?" Euberhard asked with surprise written on his face. "For someone who's built a reputation on being a family man, that's rather hypocritical of Sirzechs. But what do you expect from a false Maō?" He finished, his voice turning bitter at the end.

"Sounds like you know him." Ambrose commented as he studied his former professor.

"One only needs to know of his reputation to know what kind of a devil he is." Euberhard answered with a touch of harshness. "Sirzechs is an overly ambitious devil; desiring things that are far above his station and taking things he has no right to have claim. He has no regard for others."

"Sounds about right." Ambrose bitterly agreed with a nod.

"Just look at that civil war he forced onto the devils." Euberhard continued, his fast twisting in anger. "He made all those speeches about how devils need to increase their numbers. Then he ignites a civil war that not only further decimates their population but ends the lines of many noble the families.

"You really hate the guy." Ambrose commented as he carefully watched his former professor come down off his rant. "Did he do anything personally against you?"

"No, not at all." Euberhard quickly replied, dismissing the accusation. "Right now my main concern is you and what his plans for you could entail. It would behoove you to be on your guard around him; he is not to be trusted."

"If I still had my business then I might be able to something about all this." Ambrose groused, a frown marring his features. "Unfortunately, my options are rather limited with everything in jeopardy."

"Well then, it's lucky for you I happen to have this." Euberhard said with a gloating smile as he held up a manila folder.

"And what's that suppose to be?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dossiers on the three council members who'll be presiding over your hearing." Euberhard teasingly replied.

"I thought you left Rosicrucianism. How did you get that?" Ambrose asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"While I and a few like minded individuals have left, I do have a few discrete friends who are able to pass along information." Euberhard explained with a modest amount of false humility.

"And you just so happened to have that information on you?" Ambrose asked, somewhat surprised after having so many doors recently slammed in his face.

"While I was surprised to see you here, I had expected you to contact me sooner or later." Euberhard patiently explained, though he kept the folder out of reach.

"And what is this going to cost me?" Ambrose cautiously asked, knowing his professor preferred favors to actual money.

"Nothing." Eerhard smugly replied as he held the envelope out. "I already told you; the hearing is just a formality, the outcome has already been decided. The information in here is worthless… but if you want to hold onto a fool's hope then who am I to argue?"

Ambrose hesitated a moment before reaching out and snatching the folder before the offer was rescinded; though he made no move to peruse its contents.

"Go on." Ebuerhard encouraged as he refilled his glass. "I'll wait."

Setting his own glass down, Ambrose opened the folder and began to read about the three council members who would be presiding over his hearing.

"Hrm… Julian Fellows." Ambrose said aloud as he looked over his profile. "I cured his grandson of lycanthropy. I could use that to my advantage."

"Perhaps..." Euberhard dismissively replied. "But the trick to people owing you favors is ensuring that they'll still be on your side when you need them to be."

"Approaching him now would be a transparent move to gain his vote, but I could check my records and pay his grandson a visit." Ambrose said aloud as he considered his strategy

"You'd still need a majority vote in order to retain your status, and I doubt you'll get it once you see who else is on that list." Euberhard urged as he took another sip of his drink.

Turning the page, Ambrose's face turned into a scowl as he practically hissed the name of the next individual out loud. "Herr Rodolf Hess."

"He's been a thorn in your side for some time now, hasn't he?" Euberhard casually remarked with a smile. "His persistence is rather admirable."

Ambrose couldn't help but grudgingly agree.

Herr Rodolf Hess was a purist who held rather strong opinions about Yōkai, most particularly the dangerous ones who preyed on both humans and magicians. Initially Rodolf was quite amicable to Ambrose, publicly praising his accomplishment of curing lycanthropy. He even sponsored a bill which would have Rosicrucianism fully fund the cure at no cost to the afflicted. Ambrose had quietly refused this offer, and when Rodolf's sweet words and money didn't persuade him, Rodolf began making threats. He became even more enraged when Ambrose simply ignored his attempts to intimidate him. It was then that Rodolf began a public campaign in order to pressure Ambrose to make the potion available to Rosicrucianism, saying that more werewolves could be cured if only Ambrose wasn't so selfish to keep the cure to himself.

Despite his seemingly noble intentions to make the potion available to more alchemists, it wasn't exactly a secret that Rodolf sought the potion in order to completely eradicate all lycanthropes, including those of Clan Ferris; one of the noble warrior lycan clans who had strict rules about how a werewolf could conduct themselves. After learning Hess's plans, Ambrose secretly went to Clan Ferris in order to warn them. While initially surprised by his forthrightness, Ambrose was able to strike a deal with the lycan Clan. He swore that he would only provide his cure to those who sought it out, that it would never be forced on an individual. In turn, Clan Ferris promised not to disrupt his business and direct those who didn't want to live with the curse his way. They also agreed that the only time the cure would be forced upon an individual is if they were convicted of a crime, and even then it could only be done with Clan Ferris's approval.

Hess saw this as a betrayal, and rightfully so. In order to curtail any future attempts to gain access to the cure, both Ambrose and Clan Ferris went public with Hess's plans. Needless to say, Hess's reputation was damaged considerably and he barely managed to hold onto his council seat.

Since then, the two have remained bitter enemies.

"Hess will undoubtedly use this as an attempt to pry the recipe for the cure from me." Ambrose said with a frown, voicing his thoughts out loud.

"Or he's simply relishing the opportunity to destroy everything you've built in revenge." Euberhard added with a shrug.

"Perhaps both." Ambrose muttered before turning to the next page and gazed at the profile of the final council member who would oversee his hearing. "Signora Mariana Alighieri… I don't believe I've met her."

"You wouldn't have." Euberhard replied, still nursing his glass. "She's an old guard. A hardliner who wants the Rosicrucianism to have closer ties to the Church."

"The church and Rosicrucianism have always had a close relationship. Wasn't there a former council member who was also a Cardinal in the Vatican?" Ambrose asked, already knowing the answer.

"You mean Valper Galelei, and he was a Bishop not a Cardinal." Euberhard corrected, giving Ambrose a sharp look. "He was excommunicated ten years ago for some sort of crimes; though his crimes were never publicly stated. It was all very secret, so it must have been embarrassing for both the Church and Rosicrucianism. Whatever it was, the Circle was quick to oust him from his position as head of the council and the Church had him excommunicated. It was at this time the neutralists took over the circle. The remaining council members who wanted to retain close ties to the church were quickly silenced after Valper's exile. Mariana Alighieri was one of them and the neutralists gave her a position as Ambassador to the Vatican just to shut her up. Now she's using this hearing as a platform to make Rosicrucianism the official magical branch of the Church; effectively turning the entire circle into exorcists."

"She honestly can't expect the rest of the council to go along with that." Ambrose commented in disbelief.

"As I said, Valper's crimes were hushed up so few know the actual cause for his exile from Rosicrucianism. Meanwhile, the rabble has been shaken up by the news of your ancestry, and are demanding answers." Euberhard patiently explained.

"So in the public's eyes the Church never did anything wrong to begin with; however, they see me as some sort of infiltrator out to get them." Ambrose concluded with a frown.

"Exactly."

"This isn't good. If I'm going to retain any sort of independence from the Gremory Clan and Sirzechs then I'll need the protection." Ambrose muttered as he tried to find a solution.

"Don't forget the Grigori... And the Church... And Heaven Itself." Euberhard unhelpfully added with enthusiasm.

"There must be something I can do..." Ambrose softly said.

Euberhard didn't answer right away, but instead gave his former student a rather calculating look. "You could always attempt to ally yourself with another magical circle."

Ambrose gave Euberhard a rather incredulous look before scoffing at the very notion. "Have you forgotten? There are only two other magical circles; Grauzauberer and Golden Dawn. Need I remind you that both are headed by devils."

"Yes, and Golden Dawn is run by MacGregor Mathers, your father's **[Bishop]**." Euberhard added. "There are… less legitimate circles that might help you."

"What, like Hexennacht, the stray magicians?" Ambrose asked in disbelief. "They're barely considered a legitimate circle and I doubt they would have the resources or the political power to offer me any sort of protection."

Euberhard sighed for a moment before sitting down on the settee across from Ambrose. Quickly finishing his drink, he leaned in close and whispered. "You should know that I'm not the only one leaving Rosicrucianism, in fact there are alot magicians who are leaving all three magical circles."

"What, why?" Ambrose questioned, surprised by the statement.

"There are many of us who believe that both Heaven and the Underworld has no place in the affairs of Magicians. Most of us have joined the Rosicrucianism to gain some measure of independence, but things have changed… perhaps permanently."

Hiding the pit of dread that was suddenly forming in his stomach, Ambrose put on a rather teasing smile. "So what are you going to do about it? Form your own magic circle?"

"That's exactly what we plan on doing." Euberhard admitted with a satisfied grin.

"I doubt I'd have a place in your new circle if you're seeking independence from both Heaven and the Underworld." Ambrose observed aloud, curious as to why his former professor would admit such a thing.

"I'm rather high ranking in this new circle, so I'm sure I could make an exception in your case." Euberhard replied with a touch of false humility.

"Even if you are a high ranking member, I doubt you'd get much support." Ambrose commented, trying to probe for more information. "Having a devil join your circle defeats the purpose of being neutral. Besides, granting me asylum would create a tremendous amount of political pressure. I doubt your newly created circle would welcome that sort of attention."

"That depends on what you can offer." Euberhard replied with a rather roguish smile.

"I'm not giving away my cure." Ambrose firmly asserted.

"No, no, nothing like that." Euberhard dismissed with a wave of his hand. "No, you're about to come into a very unique position where you could relay... sensitive information to us."

"You want me to spy for you." Ambrose indelicately said aloud. "Euberhard, my goal is to get away from Sirzechs and the Gremory Clan, not to embed myself within them."

"It would only be for a short while." Euberhard reassuringly pressed.

"I'm on the outside now and staying on the outside is difficult enough as it is." Ambrose firmly insisted. "If I can secure my independence now then they might leave me alone. But if I spy on them and then leave then it'll be seen as a betrayal; they'll hunt me down and kill me."

"We can protect you from Sirzechs." Euberhard confidently stated.

"Not if I'm seen as a traitor." Ambrose argued. "There isn't a magic circle that ever existed who could protect a traitor from the Underworld, especially from Maō Lucifer."

"He Is Not Maō Lucifer!" Euberhard shouted with a mad look in his eye. "He and the other Maōs are pretenders and they have no place on the throne!"

Ambrose's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden outburst. "You're not talking about gaining independence, are you? You're talking about ousting the Maōs from power."

"You always were a clever student. Trust me, it's the only way to ensure they no longer meddle in Earthly affairs." Euberhard vehemently affirmed.

"And you'd leave Earth ripe for Heaven." Ambrose argued right back.

"We have plans for that." Euberhard confidently replied.

"While the populous may not hold any love for me, I still care about Earth." Ambrose emphatically stated. "I admire your desire for independence, in fact I strongly agree with you. It's unfortunate that I am, in fact, a devil otherwise you'd have me in your ranks. However, I'm not going to aid you unless I know for certain that I won't leave Earth defenseless against Heaven's indoctrination."

Euberhard gave Ambrose a rather measured look, sizing up his former pupil while he decided how much to reveal. "Tensions between Heaven and the Underworld are high right now, and another Great Celestial War is on the horizon. We plan to use this to our advantage. Aside from that, I will say nothing more."

Ambrose leaned back in his settee, taking a moment of quiet reflection and contemplation. Complete silence filled the room as Ambrose gathered his thoughts and Euberhard carefully watched him.

"If I were to help... what exactly would be in it for me?" Ambrose quietly asked after a few minutes.

Euberhard answered with a smile. "Complete autonomy and freedom to conduct your business as you see fit. Though some might grumble at first, no one can deny your knowledge of alchemy and I have no doubt your continue contributions to the world will sway even the most harshest of critics."

"And what would you expect in return?" Ambrose asked, giving his former professor a rather serious look. "I doubt the Devil Nation would just hand over state secrets, even if I am the son of... Sirzechs."

"I wouldn't expect you to know anything top secret." Eubard replied, waving off his concerns. "But devils have no real army to speak of. Their forces are fractured into peerages, small tactical squads. It is a division that we can exploit. I'm certain you can speak directly to the **[Kings]** , find out key positions. I imagine this will be easy since most devils love to brag. You can let us know what they're protecting and where they're concentrating their forces, in addition to passing on any other information that may be relevant."

"And you can guarantee my autonomy?" Ambrose asked, looking for assurance. "I'd be free to continue my work and business unimpeded by your new circle."

"Of course." Euberhard promised with a smile. "You have my word."

"Then I suppose I have just one more question." Ambrose replied with a smile. "What's the name of this group?"

"Nilrem."

* * *

Sorry it's been awhile.

I had an unexpected death in the family at the beginning of the year.

Took a few months off to try and move pass the loss.

Then I had another unexpected death in the family…

When it rains, it pours.

So, I'm getting back in the habit of writing again and didn't want to dedicate an entire page explaining why I was silent for so long. (I hate getting an alert for a new chapter, only to see a note saying: "Hey, I'll continue this soon.)

So here's a short little chapter to keep you all going and I'll try to have another one finished this weekend.


	26. Season 2, Chapter 4

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

" _He's not here."_ Sona worriedly thought as she tried not to let her apprehension show.

She knew he would keep his promise and come back, if not for her then to at least prevent Kokabiel's attack. She also knew he could handle himself; there were very few things in this realm that could slow him down.

" _Yet that doesn't keep me worrying that something is keeping him from returning."_

She really hated these moments where her heart overruled her head. Worse, she couldn't even distract herself with her duties as student council president. School hadn't begun yet, and she was all caught up with her work; the only special events she needed to help prepare for was 'Parents Day' that was scheduled for next week.

" _Note to self: ensure Onee-sama doesn't find out about Parent's Day… assuming we win and there is a next week."_

It was then she saw, or rather heard the perverted trio making their way down the hall while having a loud and boisterous discussion.

"Dude, I'm telling you! I saw a real life magical girl!" Motohama hysterically said as he adjusted his glasses.

Normally she would ignore the perverted trio and often made a conscious effort to avoid being in the same air-space as them. However, when she heard the words 'Magical Girl' her thoughts suddenly came to a screeching to a halt and the situation demanded her immediate attention. Carefully, she slowed her walk in order to discretely overhear the conversation.

"I think you need to lay off the anime." Matsuda laughs as he gave his fellow pervert a good-natured slap on the back.

Motohama was in no mood to be patronized as he swatted his friend's hand away and continued his tirade. "I'm serious man, serious like a heart attack! She wore the outfit, had dark hair done in pig tails, and carried a magic wand. Hell, she even did a magical speech and everything!"

"Yeah, whatever." Matsuda continues to laugh as the perverted trio head to their classroom.

"Issei, you believe me, don't you?" Motohama pleaded as he grabbed his friend by the shoulder.

"I'm not hearing this." Issei said as he tightly closed his eyes tightly and clamped his hands over his ears. "I'm not hearing this."

"What gives, Issei? Normally you'd be the first to volunteer on this mission to find a real life sexy magical girl." Motohama complained as he tried to rope his friend in on his perverted quest. "Dude, you should have seen that short skirt she was wearing. I'm telling you, her legs went all the way up."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Issei muttered to himself, suddenly turning green.

" _Has Onee-sama been sneaking out?"_ Sona wondered as she left her hiding spot to get to the bottom of this mess.

"What are you three doing?" Sona asked, giving them a look as if she were accusing them of misbehaving.

She had to hide a smile when the three boys immediately paled at her sudden presence. _"Hyoudou looks especially distressed."_

"Have you three stopped being irredeemable perverts and become Otakus?" A voice behind Sona spoke up.

Turning her head slightly, Sona discovered the boys had also caught the attention of Kuoh Academy's resident female pervert, Aika Kiryuu.

"What? No!" Matsuda alarmingly protested. "Nothing can beat the curves of a real woman."

"Like these two girls would know anything about curves." Motohama muttered, looking at Sona while adjusting his glasses.

"What was that?" Sona hissed as she glared at the four eyed pervert.

"Don't pay attention to them." Aika said to her, crossing her arms under her bust as she smirked at the boys. "These three would know what to do with a girl even if one took pitty on them and gave them a chance."

"We do too!" Issei angrily shouted in defense.

"That's not what Asia tells me." Aika teased with a grin.

"Asia's not like that!" Issei heatedly argued back.

"No woman's like that with you." Aika continued to tease.

"I guess that's why they're settling for fictional magical girls." Sona spoke up, wanting to steer the conversation back towards the topic. "The female population of Kuoh will be thrilled to hear that you now prefer 2D girls."

Aika snickered at the thought. "I can't wait to let everyone know you three have accepted your that you'll only find satisfaction with pictures of cartoon women."

"Damn it, Motohama. You're stupid fantasy is going to ruin our chances of scoring with any of the girls here!" Matsuda complained, grabbing his friend by the collar.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Motohama shouted back as he broke free from his friend's grasp. "Last night I saw a real life magical girl. She waved her wand and blasted a group of thugs down at the park."

"Hard to believe someone like you spent time outside of your room." Sona retorted, wanting to milk him for more information. "When exactly did this 'magical encounter' happen?"

"Around 9 o'clock last night." Motohama answered, giving Sona a suspicious look.

"So, around the time the new episode of Magical Milky Girl Spiral was aired. You probably just fell asleep while watching TV and had a strange dream." Sona said aloud, as she went over last nights events. _"There's no way it could have been her. Onee-sama and I finished off that bottle of wine as we watched that episode together. Not only was she in no state to go out, but she spent the entire night clinging to me… again."_

"Hey Kaichō, how do you know what time Magical Milky Girl is aired?" Issei suddenly spoke up, breaking Sona from her thoughts.

Matsuda loudly snickered, giving Sona a look of humorous disbelief. "You're in luck, Motohama. Looks like Kaichō likes magical girls too."

"Don't be ridiculous." Sona angrily replied before turning and marching away. "Get to class, all of you."

Sona could hear the perverted trio continue their argument as they left for class. "I'm telling you guys, exposed midriff, short skirt, she even said 'Nyaa' at the end of her sentences."

"Shut up both of you!" Issei shouted as he unexpectedly ran from the group, covering his ears. "I never want to see another magical girl again in my life!"

"Wait, he said 'again'! Issei, you've seen her? You've seen my magical girl, haven't you?" Motohama yelled as he ran after his friend.

By this point Sona had lost all interest in the antics of the perverted trio. Despite their tomfoolery, they did provide a welcome distraction. Now her mind wandered back to worrying over her errant fiance. With nothing left to do, she decided to head to class; however, her escape wasn't as flawless as she hoped when Aika quickly caught up to her.

"Class is starting soon. Shouldn't you be joining them since you're in the same class?" Sona asked as she continued to walk without breaking her stride. _"I really don't want to have to answer any questions about Am-chan."_

"I have enough time." Aika dismissively replied as she continued to follow along. "Where's your boy toy?"

Sona suddenly stopped and turned to give Aika her complete attention. "I already warned you once about getting involved with him."

"There's nothing wrong with looking, is there?" Aika replied with a lecherous grin. "This school is desperately short on eye candy."

"So long as you continue to look and not touch." Sona cautioned the girl with a sharp look.

"Sona, there you are." The familiar voice of her fiance called out.

Sona's relief at seeing him was short lived as Aika suddenly went as stiff as a board when Ambrose came up behind her female companion. The perverted girl's face turned beat red, heating up so much it actually fogged her glasses.

"Told you I'd make it on time." Ambrose smiled at her before he turned to look at the blushing girl. "Oh, Kiyruu-san isn't it?"

"Y-Y-Yes." Aika stuttered, barely able to choke the words out.

"I didn't realize you and Souna-Kaichō were friends." Ambrose commented, giving her a warm smile.

"Oh well, we often go to one another for advice… hehehe..." Aika laughed and awkwardly wrapped an arm around Sona as if they were the best of friends.

Recalling that it was Aika who originally pushed her out of her depression when she and Ambrose were beginning to have relationship difficulties… _"And how I warned that making a move on Am-chan was a bad idea..."_ Sona couldn't help but reluctantly agree. "Oh yes, but whether or not Kiyruu-san will listen to my advice remains to be seen." She replied, removing Aika's arm from around her.

Ambrose suddenly frowned and look at Aika with concern, peering closer and closer at her face, causing her to fluster.

"W-what? Is there something on my face?" Aika stammered as she began to blush.

"You're nose is bleeding again." He simply replied, offering her a handkerchief. "You really should get that looked at."

"Thank You!" Aika loudly replied, snatching the handkerchief away and using it to cover her beet red face before hastily rushing off. "Excuse me, I have to get to class!"

" _If this is how she normally acts around Am-chan then I have nothing to fear from her."_ Sona privately mused as they both watched her rush away, nearly knocking over poor Asia in the process.

"What a strange girl." Ambrose said aloud.

"You have no idea." Sona commented as she turned and got a good look at her fiance.

Although he appeared to be fine, Sona could tell that he was also weary. His brow was furrowed in stress, he had slight bags under his eyes, and his smile had lost that carefree attitude she had come to know so well.

"How did it go?" Sona asked, though she already could tell the answer by the state of his expression.

"Ugh." Ambrose grunted in annoyance as he reached for her hand and the pair made their way to class.

" _At least there's still this."_ Sona thought with a light smile, giving his hand a squeeze. "If you want, I could get us excused from class after our lunch break. We could talk about it."

Ambrose furrowed his brow, and for a moment Sona thought he would refuse her offer.

"I think that's probably a good idea." He tiredly replied, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"Alright." Sona said, releasing his hand as they arrived in class.

As she took her seat, Tsubaki gave her a brief smile with a thumbs up. To be honest, Sona didn't feel like celebrating just yet. Her relationship problems, while important, were just one of the many difficulties that arose lately. _"Though it'll be a relief to have solved at least one of the problems that's been hanging over our heads."_

As class began, Sona's mind paid little attention to her lessons. Instead, she was reminding herself of her sister's advice about knowing what not to do. _"I have to listen to him._ _Remember, learning about his past is a big change for him and_ _he's not wrong for feeling a certain way. I just have to address his concerns and_ _admit to my own mistakes_ _... of which there are many."_

Stealing a discrete glance over her shoulder, she could tell he wasn't focused on the teacher any more than she was. Usually he made an effort to appear interested, often scribbling notes and giving the teacher a cursory glance.

" _Now he's just staring at his book like he wants to annihilate it with his eyes."_ Sona thought as she turned her attention to the front of the class. _"I hope he can't really do that. I can't imagine trying to explain how that happened."_

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Sona impatiently waited for lunch to arrive. As the hours passed, she did her best to remain focus on the lessons. She was also pleased to see that Ambrose was at least paying some attention after he correctly answered a history question.

When lunch finally arrived, Sona turned to her **[Queen]** to let her know she could use this time as she pleased.

"Am-chan and I will be in the student council room. Please see to it that we aren't disturbed and inform the teacher so we'll be excused from class." Sona instructed her friend.

"Oh don't worry." Tsubaki replied with a teasing grin and a wink. "I'll make sure you two get all the privacy you need."

Rather than dignify her **[Queen]** 's suggestive comment with a response, Sona simply nodded her head in gratitude before she and Ambrose silently left towards the student council room.

" _We've certainly moved past any awkwardness between us."_ Sona thought as they silently moved through the hall, hand in hand. _"We have enough enemies at our door, the last thing we need right now is to be divided. I have to be understanding and honest with him."_

Entering the room and closing the door behind them, Sona made no effort to move behind the desk. This was an important discussion, and she felt that having the desk between them as a barrier might make things worse. Instead, she felt it would be best if she made the first move.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to start first." Sona asked and waited until he nodded. "I want you to know that … you're right. I've been incredibly selfish lately, often taking you for granted and you don't deserve that. The truth is… I want things to be like they were before, when we trusted each other and had trust in one another. I miss the intimacy we shared."

He didn't reply at first, but instead gave her a searching look before he answered.

"Thank you." Ambrose said, taking a big sigh relief; though to be honest she felt more at ease as well. "I should have been firmer earlier. I should have been stronger in my assertion that I didn't appreciate what you were doing."

"No, Am-chan. It's not your fault." Sona sadly admitted. "I knew how you felt, I just didn't want to hear it. I promise I won't let it happen again. Please, can you forgive me?"

Ambrose didn't say anything; he simply nodded and held out his arms, causing Sona to rush into his embrace.

" _Finally."_ She thought in relief as she burred her face in his chest in order to hide her tears.

"Feel free to let me know if I start slipping up again. I don't want to be some harpy who bullies you to get what she wants." Sona sniffed, as she vowed to be a better wife than her mother was to her father.

"I'm glad we can begin to move past this." Ambrose softly replied as he comfortingly rubbed her back. "There aren't many people I can confide in."

Sona leaned back, though not enough to break from his embrace, and studied his face. She continued to see the lines of worry and stress around his eyes. "Something's happened."

"I think I set a record for the number of doors slammed in a person's face." Ambrose ruefully replied. "It's amazing how few friends one has when he needs them most."

"No one was willing to help you?" Sona worriedly asked, anxiously biting her lip.

"Only my old professor Euberhard..." Ambrose softly replied. "He gave me some information on who's overseeing my case… it doesn't look good."

Sona frowned as she wracked her brain for answers, but before she could even begin to think of anything Ambrose broke away from her.

"The worst part is that my professor, someone I once looked up to and considered a friend, is now a member of Nilrem." Ambrose tiredly continued, as he sat down on a chair across from her.

"The magical faction of the Khaos Brigade?" Sona alarmingly exclaimed. "You're certain?"

"He admitted it. He even recruited me to spy on the Maōs for him." He revealed with out hesitation or shame.

"You agreed to this?" Sona asked, but immediately chastised herself for showing so little faith in him. _"Am-chan is smarter than that. He won't betray us, and even if he did he would be smart enough not to admit it."_

"You want to feed Nilrem false information." She concluded after a moment's thought.

"Either that or simply disappear and walk away from them." Ambrose languidly replied. "I owe them no allegiance, nor am I really obligated to help them. The hearing is completely stacked against me, so the information he provided was useless. And all of his promises on how he'll help me are empty since I know how their schemes turn out. It's funny... I almost warned him; not about the future but how Ophis is using him and plans on betraying his new circle."

"Why didn't you warn him?" Sona curiously asked. "You looked up to this man, it must have been difficult not to."

"He says he's a high ranking member, but I really don't know his level of involvement. He might not know anything of Ophis's relationship with the Khaos Brigade; besides, I don't have any proof to offer him. Most teachers can't accept other people telling them that they're wrong; it's a blow to their professional pride." Ambrose explained as he hung his head down in exhaustion.

As someone who sought to be an educator, she couldn't help but silently agree. _"Especially after the trouble my own arrogance has caused."_

Rather than reply, Sona slowly approached his chair and wrapped her arms around his head, hugging him to her breasts in comfort. Ambrose wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer against him.

They stayed like that for several minutes as she ran her fingers through his hair before she softly whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"Everything in my life, everything I knew about my life is becoming undone." Ambrose quietly breathed. "My past is a mystery, my future is destroyed, and my present is uncertain."

"Not everything is uncertain. You still have me, and Onee-sama." Sona comfortingly spoke as she continued to stroke his hair.

"I should probably tell your sister." Ambrose mumbled against her breasts, causing a small tingle to travel down to her core. "She could probably help decide if giving any information to Euberhard is worth the risk."

"I'm certain she'll help you." Sona assured him, cupping his chin so she can look in his eyes. "And however you decide to deal with this, we'll both support you. You're not alone anymore and I'm not going anywhere."

Leaning down, Sona placed a soothing kiss on his lips, a kiss that soon grew into something more.

What started as an act of reassurance quickly blossomed into a desire full of hunger and passion. As their fervent kisses grew more frequent there was a need grew within their bodies that demanded to be satisfied.

" _Too many clothes."_ Sona desperately thought as the pair quickly began shed their layers.

In the end, they both decided even stripping was too much effort and only removed what was necessary to complete the act. Open shirts, a lifted skirt, his pants dropped down to his ankles while her panties hung loosely down her leg. Sona wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the desk. She never wanted to let go and continued to cling to him as he entered her for the first time in what felt like ages.

Sona might have protested if had she been in a more rational state of mind. However, all coherent thoughts left the pair as they simply focused on fulfilling the longing they had for one another. On her desk, over the chess table; she needed this as badly as he did. Even when she was pressed between him and the large window over looking the courtyard, her only thought was how wonderful it was to be claimed for any passerby to witness. It was as if they were declaring to the entire school that they belonged to each other.

It was only hours later, after they were coming down off their sexual high, did Sona realize what they did. _"Or more specifically, where we did it."_

"I hope no one saw that." Sona muttered, her sweaty chest still heaving from the aftermath.

"So long as it wasn't the perverted trio, I don't care." Ambrose replied as he caught his breath.

"I do have a reputation to uphold." Sona replied, but her kisses down his neck and chest let him know she didn't really mind.

"Just think of how your legend will grow if they do find out." Ambrose commented with a chuckle that soon had them both sharing a laugh.

As Sona let out a contented sigh, her eyes drifted across the room and saw the clock above the door.

"Oh, damn it." She muttered as she sat up and began to look for her discarded panties. "School is over in 20 minutes. We have to clean up."

"Alright, I'll help." Ambrose offered as he stiffly sat up.

"You should probably hit the showers in the gym so you can meet Onee-sama." Sona suggested as she slipped her panties on and smoothed her skirt. "Rias is meeting with the exorcists after school, and you wanted to observe the meeting along with her."

"Thanks for reminding me." Ambrose said as he magically summoned and sewed on the buttons that got lost when she tore open his shirt. "You sure you don't want to join me in the shower?" He asked, giving her a suggestive look.

"Believe me, I'm tempted." She replied, giving him a saucy grin. "But the last thing we need to do is upset Onee-sama. You know how she gets when it comes to us… you know."

"What, having hot, passionate sex?" Ambrose asked, giving her sore bottom a light slap.

"Careful." Sona said with a light blush. "I'm pretty sure you left a hand print or two there."

"Well, you were a very bad girl." Ambrose teased and lightly kissed her lips.

"Yes, yes I was." Sona softly agreed in between kisses before she regretfully pushed herself away. "But no more distractions. I need to clean this room up before my peerage comes, not to mention airing it out so it doesn't smell like sex."

"I'll see you when you get home." Ambrose said before kissing her cheek and heading towards the door. Before exiting, he stopped and gave her a serious look. "You might want to go easy on your peerage today. Considering what's coming soon, we could use their help."

Sona frowned as she was once again reminded of the upcoming attack. She knew that the exorcists would begin their search for the Excalibur Fragments tonight, most likely immediately after their meeting with Rias. This meant that Kokabiel would make his move soon, and the devils would have no choice but to get involved. She also knew that in a previous future, half of her peerage had died in the aftermath of these events; a tragedy that was still a very real possibility.

Sona gave her fiance a grim look. "You're right. They'll need to be well rested for what comes next."

Now alone in the room, Sona began to magically clean up her cluttered office as she considered the battle ahead. Despite the fact that they still had a massive undertaking in front of them, Sona couldn't help but feel a bit more at ease about the whole thing. She had worked her peerage daily to the point of exhaustion these past weeks, hoping to gain an edge for this battle. In addition, she also had the unexpected bonus of her Onee-sama. But the greatest boost to her confidence was knowing that Ambrose was firmly by her side and would do anything to ensure they all made it through to the other side.

" _Or perhaps I'm still feeling the afterglow of the make up sex we just had. I think we both needed to relieve a little stress."_ Sona mused as she contunued to clean up the council room. _"I'm just glad no one saw us. Onee-sama would have lost her mind."_

* * *

Serafall's eyes were glued to the magical monitor. She couldn't help but bite her bottom lip as her hand gently slipped out of her ruined panties. Taking a shaking breath after having so many orgasms, Serafall only had one thought on her mind.

" _That was hot."_

She honestly didn't mean to catch them in the act. She was simply testing her surveillance equipment to ensure everything worked properly in order to observe Rias's meeting with the exorcists. She just happened to stumble on her sister and her fiance skipping class to meet in the student council room. Serafall only started watching them out of concern, she wanted to make sure they reconciled properly so her sister could be happy again.

" _Boy, did they make up… And he did make her very happy..."_

Serafall closed her eyes as she recalled the face her sister made as she rode out each orgasm; she wanted to engrave it into her memory in case she never saw it again. Slowly the images of that arousing encounter changed to where it was her body that was Ambrose was ravaging.

" _Or maybe both So-tan and Am-chan."_ Serafall thought as her hand snaked down to the readdress the heat that was once again building up in her core.

"No, no, no!" She scolded herself out loud. "Am-chan is getting ready to return! I can't let him see me like this!"

She ignored the traitorous part of her mind that wondered if she would really care if he found her in such a state. Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, she quickly ran to shower and change her clothes before he came and saw her in a compromising state.

Stripping her clothes off and jumping in the shower, Serafall once again tried to get her mind off the lustful scene she witnessed and focused on the more important aspects of the meeting. The fact that he discovered an agent of Nilrem needed to be addressed, but she would have to wait until he brought the information to her.

" _I can't let him know I overheard their conversation… or about what I saw..."_ Serafall thought as she rinsed off her body. _"It would embarrass them both and might ruin my chances..."_

Serafall's eyes widened in surprise at the incomplete thought. _"Ruin my chances of what,_ _exactly_ _? Do I really want them… do I want him?"_

She closed her eyes once more and recalled the passionate scene of Sona ripping off his shirt, the sight of his exposed chest. The way he took control and the way he made those lustful moans come out of her sister.

" _I just wish I could have gotten a better angle of his package."_ Serafall mused before shaking off the thought and turning the water to COLD so as not to get carried away. _"Okay, so I want him… at least physically. He still needs to prove he's reliable… I should probably wait until after this Kokabiel mess has been taken care of. I can't afford to be distracted…. At least any more than I already am… If he can prove himself with Kokabiel, then maybe..."_

Unfortunately, calming down in her cold shower took longer than she hoped and by the time she was fully dressed and presentable, Ambrose was walking through the front door.

"Just get out of the shower?" He asked, looking at her damp hair as he walked up the stairs to meet her on the 2nd floor outside of her room.

"Oh… I was using your gym earlier." Serafall quickly explained while giving a light laugh. "Gotta stay in shape, you know. You look like you showered recently too."

"Gym class." Ambrose replied with a smile.

" _Even if I didn't catch you two in the act, it's a weak lie. I know So-tan's class schedule."_ Serafall thought in amusement, though she wouldn't press the issue.

"How about the monitoring equipment? Is everything all set up." Ambrose innocently asked.

"Oh yes. Everything works just fine." Serafall answered with an embarrassed laugh. "I've set everything up in the television room. We're good to go."

"Shall I make some popcorn?" He offered with a smile.

"Yeah, that's actually a good idea." Serafall agreed with a blushing nod. _"And maybe the smell of popcorn will hide the scent of my sex..."_

* * *

Rias Gremory sat behind her desk, quietly contemplating the importance of her upcoming meeting. A meeting like this could help improve her reputation and quite honestly, she felt lucky she had this opportunity to redeem herself; though in the back of her mind she suspected her older brother had a hand in it.

" _Onii-sama..."_ Rias privately thought to herself and frowned. _"I'm not sure if it was fortunate or a disappointment that I wasn't able to reach him."_

Rias had attempted to contact her brother as soon as she could, in order to learn what he knew about this meeting and perhaps get a few pointers on what she should focus on. Unfortunately, he was unavailable and he still has yet to contact her. Truthfully, reaching out to him at this time was a double edged sword. While she did wish to pick his brain and gain some insight on how to conduct this meeting, not speaking to him mean she didn't have to inform him that Ambrose was unwilling to join the clan.

" _Ambrose."_ Rias thought with a frown as she considered her rebellious nephew. _"So much is dependent on you. If only I could make you see..."_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Yuuto who was escorting the two exorcists into the room.

" _Yuuto."_ Rias privately thought as she watched her **[Knight]**. Her sweet Yuuto has begun acting more distant after learning that both he and her nephew had suffered at the hands of Valper. Every so often she would catch him angrily staring at something unseen. Rias strongly suspected he felt betrayed by the Gremory Clan for withholding information about Valper from him for so long. She only hoped he didn't blame her. _"The last thing I need right now is any complications from within my peerage. I'm already under enough pressure to prove my capability as a **[King]**."_

Akeno suddenly spoke up, most likely due to Rias's inattention. "Welcome, could I offer you two some tea?"

"No thank you." The blue haired exorcists replied. "We cannot befriend devils."

Rias silently stood and moved towards the two couches that faced each other. "On behalf of the Devils in Kuoh, and as Governor of this territory; I, Rias Gremory, recognize you two as envoys of the Church and hope we can complete this meeting peacefully."

"On behalf of the Church, we recognize the irregularity of this meeting and thank you for your cooperation." Xenovia replied, taking the role of the leader for the pair. "I am Xenovia Quarta."

"Irina Shidou." The brunette introduced herself with a cheerful tone and a wink.

Rias was thankful Sona had already informed her of why these exorcists were here. She saw no reason to dance around the issue and decided to get straight to the point. "For what reasons would servants of God desire to meet a devil?"

"As I'm sure you're aware, three Excalibur Fragments have been stolen from the Church by Fallen Angels." Irina spoke up, starting the conversation off.

"Stolen?" The peerage chorused in surprise, though Rias was focused on one important detail.

"You're here looking for Excalibur Fragments?" Rias questioned, trying not to let her unease show. _"Those aren't just Holy Swords."_

"You didn't know?" Xenovia questioned with a raised eyebrow. "That other devil, Sitri-san, knew we were looking for Excalibur Fragments. She even knew we carried two additional fragments with us."

" _Five Excalibur Fragments are within my territory!"_ Rias thought in alarm as a sense of betrayal set in. _"Sona knew they were Excalibur Fragments from the beginning and didn't tell me!"_

Unaware of Rias's distress, or choosing to ignore it, Xenovia continued her explanation. "The ones we have brought are these, the Holy Sword of Destruction, Excalibur Destruction." She said, holding the sword before them, though leaving it completely wrapped.

"… And my Holy Sword of Mimicry, Excalibur Mimic." Irina said, holding her arm out and showing off an arm band.

"I see..." Rias replied, putting her thoughts of her oldest friend aside for the moment. "So, what do you want from us?"

"This particular problem is between us and the Fallen Angels." Xenovia explained. "We can't afford to deal with both Fallen Angels and the Devils of the City."

"You're awfully condescending." Rias replied, as her eyes began to glow red a the unspoken accusation. "You thought that we would side with the Fallen Angels and some how aid them with their designs for the Holy Swords?"

"Uh oh, Buchou getting pissed." Issei observed as he tensed his body and prepared for a fight.

"Not at all." Irina cheerfully replied. "After all, wasn't it Sitri-san who warned Heaven that the Excalibur Fragments would be stolen?"

" _Sona!"_ Rias silently thought in alarm. _"Hiding the Fragments from me was bad enough, but secretly communicating with Heaven? What's gotten into her?"_

In an attempt to regain control over the situation and to hide her surprise at Sona's recent questionable actions, Rias decided to set the record straight so these exorcists knew exactly where she stood. "No matter what Sitri-san has told you, I want to make one thing absolutely clear to you both: I will _**never** _side with a Fallen Angel, and I consider the theft of the Excalibur Fragments a problem for you two to solve on your own. In the name of the Gremorys, I swear I will never do anything to humiliate the Maōs by involving myself in the affairs of the Grigori or Heaven."

"I'm glad to hear that." Xenovia replied with a satisfied smile. "Therefore, we simply would like you to pledge non-intervention in this ordeal."

"I understand, and will ensure that no devil will involve themselves in this affair." Rias promised, silently vowing to get behind what her old friend was up to.

The pair of exorcists quietly moved to leave, heading for the exit before Xenovia unexpectedly turned. "Excuse me, but ever since we met at Hyoudou's house I've been wondering; are you Asia Argento?"

Surprised at being singled out, Asia stuttered as she replied. "Y-yes."

Xenovia's eyes narrowed as she addressed the former nun. "I never expected to see a witch among devils."

"Oh, she's that ex-nun who became a witch?" Irina deduced, as if suddenly recalling the tale. "I remember, you were exiled because you could heal Devils and Fallen Angels, but I never knew you'd become a devil."

Asia began to stammer at the accusations. "Um… I..."

"To think a saint would become a devil.." Xenovia began, but was quickly interrupted.

"I'm not a devil!" Asia loudly replied, startlingly everyone with her sudden surge of confidence. "I simply do what I've always done, use this power that God gave me to help others. And there's nothing wrong with being a witch, or a devil. These my friends and they are good people, and if being a good friend with them makes me a witch then I'm okay with that."

"Asia..." Issei said in astonishment, moved by her words.

"Besides, I'm not the only one who's friends with a devil." Asia said, nervously clutching her hands to her chest, but looking directly at Irina.

"Well..." Irina awkwardly hesitated while scratching the back of her head. "We were friends before he became a devil."

"So you're not friends anymore?" Asia questioned the exorcists, not taking her eyes off of her.

"Ah… well… you see..." Irina began to stammer.

"What happened in the past remains in the past." Xenovia spoke up, answering for her companion. "Devils and the Church have no business with each other. There can be no friendship between our respective factions."

"Hey!" Issei angrily yelled. "Shut the hell up."

"Issei-senpai." Koneko softly warned, holding her arm in front of him to prevent him from doing something foolish.

Issei, however, refused to be silent. "I won't let you tell me who I can and can't be friends with. Asia is my friend, and so is Irina."

"Issei..." Irina softly muttered in shock.

"How can you say that? God and the Devils have been enemies since before mankind existed. To say otherwise is blasphemy." Xenovia declared before holding out the wrapped Excalibur of Destruction and addressing Asia. "I recommend you continue hiding with these devils. I'd hate to have to reeducate these simple facts to you."

Issei quickly jumped between Asia and the Holy Sword, using his body as a barrier between the two. "You're all idiots for not understanding Asia's kindness!"

"You really see this traitor as a friend?" Xenovia replied, surprised a devil was willing to put himself in harms way for another.

"She's more than just my friend! Asia is a part of my family!" Issei announced with all the conviction he had. "If you do anything to Asia, I won't be afraid to fight every last one of you!"

"That's a bold statement from a feeble devil." Xenovia replied with a confident grin. "May I take that as a challenge to the entire Church?"

" _This is quickly getting out of hand."_ Rias thought as she watched this meeting devolve into a fight. "Issei, that's enough."

"I second that challenge." Yuuto spoke up after silently watching from the sidelines. "Since there's two of us, it only makes sense that someone fights along side Hyoudou-kun."

" _Yuuto, what are you doing?"_ Rias panicked as she hopelessly watched things spiral out of control.

"And just who are you?" Xenovia asked, wondering why he was involving himself in this matter.

"I'm your senpai." Yuuto confidently replied. "I'll teach you a thing or two about swords."

"Very well." Xenovia replied at the challenge. "Shall we take this outside?"

* * *

"What The Hell Is She Doing?!" Serafall screamed at the monitor as she watched the scene unfold. "Not five minutes ago Rias swore on her name as a Gremory to not get involved. Now she's allowing her servants to get into fights with the Church! This isn't diplomatic behavior, this is the complete opposite of diplomacy!"

"What are you doing?" Ambrose asked as he watched the Maō angrily fiddle with the controls.

"Switching to an outside camera." Serafall answered as she began to cycle through different video feeds. "This is already turning out to be a diplomatic incident, if someone dies in this fight then it'll be a political nightmare!"

"Just how many of these cameras did you place in the school?" Ambrose nervously questioned as she cycled through different live feeds of the school.

"Shush!" Serafall quickly replied, desperate not to answer that question after she saw what he and her sister recently got up to. "Here's a good angle. Hopefully no one dies or gets seriously injured."

"Shouldn't we stop this?" Ambrose frowned in concern.

"No, I can't let anyone know I'm here, and I don't want you involved yet." Serafall answered, taking Ambrose's hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "Just… just be ready. I'm sure Asia can heal any wounded, but if something more serious happens... we might need you to… you know..."

Ambrose nodded, understanding that he might have to resurrect someone if the fight went too far. Serafall could understand his concern, and in truth she needed a bit relief as well. Snuggling up to him next on the couch, she nervously gripped his hand as they watched the drama unfold.

* * *

Standing out in front of the old school building, Issei and Yuuto stood across from the pair of exorcists, Irina and Xenovia.

"Very well." Xenovia spoke up as the other members of the Occult Research Club observed from the sidelines. "Shall we begin."

"Wait." Issei spoke up, glancing at Irina before focusing his attention back on Xenovia. "Even though I'm a devil, I consider Irina a friend. Therefore, I wish you be your opponent."

"Issei, no!" Irina desperately shouted. "Xenovia is one of the best there is. She'll kill you."

Giving his old childhood friend a confident smile, Issei replied. "No matter how much you think I've change, I still won't hurt a friend."

"It's all the same to me." Xenovia replied, giving Issei a look as if he were completely foolish.

"You don't mind, do you Kiba?" Issei asked, turning to his fellow peerage member.

"Not at all." Yuuto replied, glaring at Irina.

"Just… try not to hurt her." Issei clumsy asked the **[Knight]**.

"It's not her that I want to destroy." Yuuto said as he watched the two exorcists shed their cloaks and ready themselves for battle.

"Is this really okay?" Akeno worriedly asked her **[King]** from the sidelines began to prepare themselves. "Should we be fighting the Church affiliates of our own accord?"

"Oh no, I can't look." Gaspar said, holding his hands over his eyes.

"This is simply an unofficial sparing match." Rias answered with more confidence than she truly felt. _"Yuuto, I hope this fight brings you a measure of peace. I'm giving you this one chance to destroy a Holy Sword..."_

"If either of our higher ups knew we were doing this then we'd be in big trouble." Irina stated as the band around her arm, Excalibur Mimic, morphed into a Japanese katana.

"We'll do our best not to kill you." Xenovia replied as the wrappings around Excalibur Destruction fell apart.

Holding the large broadsword in front of her, the pair of exorcists signaled that they were ready to begin.

The tension was high as the two groups silently stared across at one another.

The moment was suddenly broken when Yuuto suddenly began to laugh.

"What are you doing?" Irina hesitantly questioned as she eyed her opponent. "You're laughing now?"

"Indeed, because I've finally found what I've been dying to destroy." Yuuto replied before a dozen swords burst out of the ground.

"Careful Irina." Xenovia warned as she watched the two out of the corner of her eye. "That's the ability of the **[Sword Birth]** Sacred Gear. He must be the subject from the Holy Sword Experiment that escaped disposal."

"Oh, that experiment that allowed me to finally become compatible with an Excalibur Fragment?" Irina asked tilting her head to the side.

Seeing these two exorcists causally speak of the tragedy which saw his friends butchered, Yuuto grabbed the nearest sword and charged at Irina with a yell.

Noticing that the battle had begun, Issei's left fist glowed and he summoned forth his own **[Sacred Gear]**.

" **BOOST!"**

"The Red Dragon Emperor." Xenovia observed in surprise before excitedly smiling. "Asia's **[Twilight Healing]** , and also the **[Sword Birth]**. All of these **[Sacred Gears]** are truly unique. It appears as if I won't have to hold back!"

Irina quickly dodged or parried Yuuto's strikes, her sword then morphing to that of a whip in order to put him on the defensive.

Xenovia lunged at Issei with a downward strike, jumping quickly to the side he was soon caught up in a blast from where the sword hit the ground.

"Sparing my ass!" Issei yelled in shock, after being hit with debris from the explosion. "You're trying to kill me."

"Issei!" Rias called out in order to warn to her **[Pawn]**. "Don't engage her directly."

"Right." Issei replied as the jewel on his gauntlet glowed brighter. "Try this, **[Dragon Shot]**!"

A ball of green energy rocketed towards the bluenette; however, she proved too quick and rolled out of the way and ignored the explosion behind her.

"Damn it!" Issei yelled as the exorcist quickly moved in close for another attack. **[Explosion]** The gauntlet cried out as it created a small blast radius which gave him some much needed breathing room. "I've got to attack from a distance and catch her off guard."

Yuuto continued to dodge his opponent's quick strikes, before he finally had enough and surrounded Irina with dozens of swords sprouting from the ground. "Don't underestimate me. My ability has its roots in the grudges of those who were held captive alongside of me, grudges born as my friends were killed in the depths of despair!"

Yuuto grabbed a new sword, one that seemed lighter than the others but struck with the heaviness of a broadsword. Quickly realizing that blocking wasn't working, she morphed Excalibur Mimic back into a katana in order to better defend herself.

"How dare you speak so casually of those who were slaughtered so you could wield a Holy Sword ." Yuuto shouted with rage in his eyes. "How can you stand to even look at yourself, knowing what they did to us?! Because of what they've done, I'm going to shatter all the Excalibur Fragments and their wielders!"

The remaining members of Rias's peerage worriedly watched from the sidelines.

"Yuuto's **[Sword Birth]** seems evenly matched with Excalibur Mimic." Akeno observed, though she frowned after a moment. "However, simply touching a Holy Sword is enough to cause a devil immense pain. We're at a grave disadvantage."

"Yuuto can make up for it with speed." Rias observed before turning her attention to her **[Pawn]**. "It's Issei I'm most worried about. He can't attack her up close, and is forced to take sniping shots before running away."

"That gauntlet is part of a dragon. It could protect him from the holy power of the Excalibur Fragment." Akeno observed as she watched Issei run further away from his opponent.

"Perhaps some protection." Rias hesitantly agreed. "But it isn't as if it covers his entire arm nor would it protect him from the resulting blast."

" _This is no good."_ Issei desperately thought. _"Each **[Dragon Shot]** slowly drains me, and I can't keep dodging her forever. Sooner or later, she'll get a lucky strike… unless." _Issei paused in thought as his smile turned lecherous. _"Unless I risk it all. When she strikes next, she won't expect me to evade towards her. That's my chance! All I have to do is then touch her and then I get to enjoy every inch of that luscious body of hers!"_

"Something's different." Xenovia observed, holding her guard up. "What's up with that smile?"

"Be careful." A voice called out.

Glancing to the side, Xenovia found the petite white haired girl speak to her in a soft voice. "Issei-senpai can annihilate the clothes off of any woman he touches."

"What?" Xenovia alarmingly asked.

"Koneko-chan!" Issei yelled in betrayal. "Why did you warn our enemy?!"

"Because you're the enemy of all women." Koneko simply replied as a matter-of-factly.

"What a truly evil ability. I won't let you disgrace me!" Xenovia shouted, glaring at her opponent.

Twirling the Excalibur of Destruction, she planted the tip in the ground, creating an explosive blast that shook the ground, knocking everyone down.

Stunned for a moment from being knocked on his ass, Issei could only gape in astonishment at the crater that formed around his opponent. "Isn't that a bit too much?"

"That Xenovia sure is a trouble maker." Irinia complained as she stood up and brushed herself off. "Ever since she got that thing it's been destruction here an explosion over there."

" _This is my chance!"_ Issei thought as a green aura enveloped his body.

Recklessly, Issei sprouted his wings and darted toward his opponent, who was still on her knees, clutching the sword after the latest explosion.

" **[Dress Break]**!"

With his arm held out in front of him, his fingers reached out in the hope he could graze his opponent. Just as he neared Xenovia, she quickly moved out of his reach, using the sword as an anchoring point to spin around it and brutally kick him away from behind.

"Ahhh!" Issei yelled as he headed straight for his friends and wound up crashing into Asia and Koneko.

As he landed, his fingers accidentally snapped together, causing their clothes of his teammates to explode off their bodies.

"I've died and gone to heaven." Issei lecherously said aloud as he lay tangled between their naked bodies. "Wait, I'm a devil now. Maybe I've died and gone to hell."

"Just Die Already!" Koneko yelled as she delivered a vicious uppercut which sent him skywards and away till he landed back in the crater he just left.

Shocked at what she just witnessed, Xenovia stared at the fallen form of her opponent. "I honestly can't decide if this is divine justice or not. On one hand, you got what's coming to you; on the other, your punishment came from a devil. Consider this a lesson, don't be such a pervert."

"I'm not done yet." Issei muttered as he struggled to get up. "I'm going to blow the clothes off of more girls… and… and I will fight for a day where I can do it with just a glance!"

Xenovia stared at her opponent, completely stunned by his declaration before turning to her companion "This? This is the guy you're friends with?"

"Well… In my defense we were just kids at the time... and puberty hadn't hit yet..." Irinia weakly explained.

Heartened by his own words, Issei stood up on his shaky legs. "Sexiness is power! Sexiness is Justice! Sexiness is..."

 **[Reset!]**

The gauntlet on his **[Sacred Gear]** suddenly disappeared, and left devoid of its power he quickly fell to the ground.

"Damn it." Issei weakly groaned as his energy left him completely depleted. "I.. just can't..."

"What's going on?" Asia wondered as she worriedly watched her friend.

"Is Issei-senpai hurt?" Gaspar worriedly asked.

"He has no more energy to support the **[Boosted Gear]**." Rias explained as she watched the match come to a close. "He spent all of his energy shooting **[Dragon Shots]** to keep her away. That last **[Dress Break]** was probably the last bit of energy he had in him."

"It's over then." Xenovia said as she stood up straight and looked at her fallen opponent.

"I suppose it is." Rias admitted with as much dignity as she could muster. "Xenovia Quarta, we acknowledge your victory."

" _Damn it."_ Issei angrily thought to himself as he futilely pounded the ground. _"I'm still not strong enough."_

The group then heard the sound of Yuuto, charging his latest sword with red demonic energy. The sword's appearance began to change, becoming taller than even Yuuto himself.

"Let's settle this now." Yuuto shouted as he hatefully glared at the exorcist before him. "Your Holy Sword versus my Demonic Sword. Let's see which is more powerful."

Without waiting for a reply, he charged at Irina who stood wide eyed in shock for a moment. Yuuto swung his blade down, but as it made contact with Excalibur Mimic, the Holy Sword shifted once again into a whip. It wrapped itself around Yuuto's demonic blade and with a yank, Irina cut it in half. The exorcist quickly spun on her heel, snapping her whip at Yuuto's back with a loud crack.

Pain blossomed across Yuuto's body as the whip strike shredded his shirt and left a glowing purple mark where demonic energy seemed to vaporize out from within him. A loud cry of pain involuntarily escaped his lips as he collapsed on the ground, desperate to keep the tears at bay.

"Wow, you had me worried for a moment." Irina commented as she stood over her opponent. "Your ability to create new swords is simply amazing. But you can't change a sword mid-swing and are no mach for Excalibur Mimic. Amen."

"He also lacks the strength to properly wield a larger blade." Xenovia commented as she donned her cloak and rejoined her companion. "Keep that in mind the next time you try to fight."

"W-wait." Yuuto stammered, reaching for his opponent in order to continue the battle.

"Try cooling off for a bit." Xenovia said, before giving him a rather superior look. "Senpai."

Irina simply looked a Yuuto before kissing her crucifix. "Amen."

"This fight is over." Xenovia said, handing Irina her cloak. "Wouldn't you agree, Rias Gremory?"

"Yes." Rias agreed with a false humility. "I appreciate you not finishing off my servants with your Holy Swords."

"Well then, we'll be counting on your cooperation on the aforementioned matter." Xenovia commented before she and Irina turned to leave.

"There is one thing I'd like to know." Rias spoke up, surprising the two exorcists. "Have you found out which Fallen Angels stole the Holy Sword?"

Xenovia's turned to glance at Rias over her shoulder, hereyebrows rising in surprise at the question. "You don't know? It was a leader of the Grigori, Kokabiel, who stole the fragments. If you want to know more, I suggest you have a talk with Sitri-san."

" _Sona?"_ Rias thought in alarm, as her eyes went wide. _"What are you doing, keeping such important details from me."_

"Grigori?" Issei questioned, as Asia hovered over him and healed his wounds.

"Also known as 'The Protector of the Son of God', they're a group of Fallen Angels." Akeno answered the injured **[Pawn]** before addressing the exorcists. "Do you plan on fighting him alone?"

"We know what we're doing and how dangerous it is." Irina spoke up in defense of their actions. "One of us has already been killed. He was a priest investigating this city."

"We would rather destroy the Holy Swords than see them in the hands of Fallen Angels." Xenovia replied to the **[Queen]**.

"I met the individual who killed your priest last night." Yuuto confessed to the surprise of the group. "He called himself Freed Sellzan."

"Freed Sellzan!" Asia alarmingly exclaimed, recalling the bloodied house and the people he murdered

"Freed?!" Issei asked in surprise, recalling the name. "Isn't that the same creepy priest who held us captive with the Fallen Angels?"

"A stray exorcist?" Rias questioned, not having heard the name before. _"Did he somehow escape the purge at the Church? I thought Ambrose killed everyone inside."_

"I happened by him by pure coincidence." Yuuto admitted as struggled to suppress the pain his back. "He too was wielding a Holy Sword."

"A stray exorcists, you say?" Xenovia asked as she considered this new information. "So that's who did it. We appreciate this information, but ask that you no longer interfere in this matter."

Irina watched has her companion turned and walked away. "Well, I guess we're done here. Issei-kun, anytime you feel you're ready for redemption I'll be glad to exorcise your soul in the name of God. Amen!"

Dismayed and defeated, the peerage then silently went back inside as they quietly reflected on all that transpired. Rias watched as Issei rest and recover while Asia begin to heal the wounds on Yuuto's back. Despite the state her servants were currently in, Rias couldn't help but recall what appeared to be a betrayal from one of her oldest friends.

" _Sona..."_ Rias worriedly thought as she tried to make sense of it all. _"First you hide the fact that we're dealing with Excalibur Fragments and Kokabiel's involvement. Now I find out that you've been secretly contacting Heaven. By the Maōs, what has happened to you?_

Any further thoughts on the matter was halted when Yuuto abruptly stood up and made his way to the door.

"Yuuto? Yuuto, where are you going?" Rias worriedly asked her injured servant.

"I'm leaving, and I'm going to destroy every single Holy Sword I come across." Yuuto tiredly answered, before grabbing the door handle.

"Yuuto, stop right there!" Rias firmly called out. "I can't let you do that. You are a Gremory **[Knight]** , what you do reflects on the entire Clan."

"I'm sorry Buchou." Yuuto tiredly replied. "But somethings are more important than being a Gremory **[Knight]**.

"Yuuto, stop!" Rias pleadingly shouted to him. "You could risk all of our lives, start another war. I can't let you do this!"

"Then I guess you'll have to try and stop me." He quietly replied before slamming the door behind him.

"Yuuto..." Rias whispered, staring wide eyed at the door. _"He left me… Why?"_

"Kiba-san" Koneko softy spoke with longing as the room then descended into silence with the **[Knight]** 's sudden departure.

" _Everything… Everything is falling apart."_ Rias depressingly realized. _"Was everyone right? Am I really not fit to lead my peerage?"_

"Buchou." Issei spoke up, looking lost and confused. "What do you want us to do?"

"Go home, everyone. I'm sure he'll be fine once he's had some time to cool off." Rias faintly replied, trying to sound confident.

The **[King]** could immediately tell her words had no affect on her peerage, but never the less, they all obeyed and began shuffling out.

"Buchou," Akeno hesitantly spoke up. "If you'd like, I could make you a cup of tea."

"No thank you." Rias simply replied, keeping her back to her **[Queen]** as she turned to look out the window.

Akeno didn't respond, but simply frowned at the dismissal before silently leaving.

Once alone, Rias's self control finally slipped as she fell to her knees and wept.

* * *

"Well, that was unexpected." Ambrose commented, as the drama they watched seemed to have run its course.

He glanced down at Serafall, who was sitting on the edge of her seat, still glaring at the monitor.

"Onee-san?" He carefully called out to her… "Levi-tan?"

"Am-chan?" Serafall suddenly spoke up in an excessively sweet tone, though the glare she kept giving the monitor betrayed her true feelings. "Did I just see a Gremory **[Knight]** go stray on Rias?"

Ambrose took a deep breath before he reluctantly answered. "Yeah..."

"That's what I thought." She calmly replied before exploding into a list of profanities from numerous languages that suprised even him.

"Onee-san." Ambrose called out, trying to sooth the angry Maō. "Onee-san, you have to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm Down?!" Serafall shouted out.

"We need to be calm so we can rationally think of a way to counter this development." Ambrose patiently explained. "Yuuto's still injured, he's not going to cause anymore trouble tonight. That gives us enough time to plan ahead."

"There's no planning ahead." Serafall replied, giving Ambrose a serious look. "You have to stop him."

"Me?" He asked her in surprise.

"You're technically a Gremory but also still on the outside." Serafall explained. Though she wasn't shouting, she was still quite upset. "I'm only authorized to deal with Kokabiel. Sona can't interfere in Gremory Clan matters, but you could deal with Yuuto without complicating things further."

"How, exactly, do you want me to deal with him?" Ambrose asked, bewildered that she had requested such a thing.

"I don't know." Serafall grumbled. "This is turning into a complete mess. If Rias had any sense of responsibility she would have immediately locked Yuuto up the second she learned that his actions could restart the war."

"So you want me to capture him alive." Ambrose replied, thinking it out. "I could do that."

"That would probably be safest for everyone." Serafall admitted after taking a breath and began to calm down. "It would most likely cause issues between you and the Gremory Clan if you did anything more severe than that."

"I don't care about Gremoy Clan or what they think of me." Ambrose replied, putting his hands on her shoulder and looking into her eyes. "You're opinion matters more."

Blushing at the unexpected confession, Serafall couldn't help but shyly turn away as she mumbled. "Thanks."

"Come on, we both need to calm down. We're not going to come up with any solutions while we're both so upset." Ambrose patiently said.

"Well, what do you do when you're stuck on a problem you have no idea how to solve?" Serafall asked, giving him a curious look.

"I work on something else." Ambrose explained with a smile. "I usually think better on my feet, and often times answers will come to me while I'm focusing on fixing a completely different problem."

"Got any suggestions?" She asked.

"Let's see if we can finish the Magical Milky Girl's Shining Spiral Attack." Ambrose encouragingly replied.

"Okay." Serafall answered with a bright smile.

* * *

"Man, I am stuffed." Saji announced, rubbing his belly as he and the Sitri Peerage left the All You Can Eat Korean BBQ restaurant.

Sona didn't normally splurge like this, nor did she like to reward her peerage without them completing any sort of accomplishment; however, this wasn't the usual circumstance.

" _Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die."_ Said her enemy's scripture.

Of course it wasn't a literal translation, Sona wouldn't have been able to think of the sentence if it was a direct quote from the bible. Still, she was practical enough to see the wisdom behind the saying, and knowing that her peerage would undoubtedly be in a fight for their lives in the next few days certainly brought the meaning into perspective.

"Everyone, be sure to rest up." Sona gently instructed her peerage. "I expect you all to work hard tomorrow and perform at your best."

"You got it, Kaichō."

"Thanks for dinner, Kaichō."

Sona watches for a moment as her peerage begins to disburse through the city. "Everyone, be careful on your way home." She calls out to them, reminding them of the pair of exorcists present in the city.

The levity they felt was quickly replaced with caution and concern, as they grouped closer together and made their way down the street.

"It's going to be bad, isn't it?" Tsubaki remarked, standing diligently next to her.

Glancing up at her **[Queen]** , Sona saw no point in sugar coating the truth. "Yes. We've prepared as best as we can. The peerage is strong and can wield magic, we can use the flier exploit to our advantage if we need to, not to mention our hidden asset."

Tsubaki grinned, knowing she was referring to her sister, Maō Leviathan, as an asset.

"But I won't lie, we'll eventually get stuck in the crossfire. Kokabiel is a Cadre class Fallen Angel and he came to Kuoh for a reason. There are also two exorcists from the church and five Excalibur Fragments in play."

Tsubaki's eyes widen as she considered what they were up against. "I guess that'll keep me up all night worrying."

"Now you know why I didn't tell them everything." Sona admitted as she watched the rest of her servants duck into an alley where they would magically transport themselves home. "I want them to have this one good night before they have to face what's to come."

"We'll be ready." Tsubaki stated with confidence. "I'll help you make sure they're ready."

"I'm counting on it." Sona replied, giving her friend a grateful smile. "Make sure you get home safely as well."

Turning in the other direction, Sona walked down the street while on high alert. Thankfully, it wasn't too long till she found a secluded spot and teleported directly to her new home.

" _Note to self: Move the rest of my belongings in after this whole ordeal is over."_ She privately thought, seeing no reason to have her own place anymore. _"I wonder where I can put my sauna..."_

Instead of blindly searching the house, Sona went to checked the most likely places and soon found them in Ambrose's lab once again. Shaking off her amusement as seeing them working so well together after he had forbidden Serafall from entering his lab the first time he met her, Sona politely coughed to gain their attention.

"So-tan!" Serafall cheered as she quickly raced to embrace her. "Welcome home!"

"Thank you Onee-sama." Sona replied with a smile as she looked over to her fiance. _"He seems a bit more relieved."_

"So-tan, So-tan." Serafall called out, like a child desperate for attention. "Guess what!"

Sona resisted the temptation to playfully roll her eyes at her sister's antics, and simply replied. "What?"

"We finished the Magical Milky Girl Spiral Attack!" Serafall cheered before spinning into a magical girl pose.

"Really?" Sona asked in surprise and looked to her fiance for confirmation.

"Yes, and no." Ambrose admitted as he smiled softly at Serafall's antics.

"It'll work." Serafall insisted with a pout.

"It's not tested." Ambrose reminded her. "And it's true, the spell does work as advertised but… it only spares loved ones."

"So it doesn't work on allies." Sona observed as she fully grasped the situation.

"Believe it or not, there's no friendship rune. I'll have to design one." Ambrose explained with an embarrassed grin. "But, there is a love rune so we applied that to the spell and it looks good."

"Can we try it?" Serafall desperately asked, "I want to try it out now!"

"Now's not a good time. The town is full of exorcists, and you're suppose to be hiding." Sona replied, giving her sister a light reminder.

"Oh, alright." Serafall grumbled with a pout.

"Am-chan, did you ask Onee-sama for help with your latest problem?" Sona asked, wondering if that too was fixed.

"Oh no. I completely forgot." Ambrose muttered as he tiredly rubbed his eyes.

" _The potent invigoration elixir must be wearing off."_ Sona realized as she looked at the bags under his eyes. _"He's exhausted."_

"What problem are you talking about?" Serafall asked, giving Ambrose a curious look.

"My trip to Europe wasn't as fruitful as I had hoped." Ambrose admitted, frowning at the memory. "I had a lot of doors slammed in my face. Not even my lawyer is willing to represent me."

"Do you need a lawyer?" Serafall asked with a smile. "I know a few I could recommend."

"Yes, I'm sure the Underworld is full of lawyers." Ambrose teased with a grin, before his face turned serious. "I did manage to get in contact with one of my old professors, Euberhard Lehmann. I learned he's joined the Khaos Brigade's magical faction Nilrem and he told me they plan to oust the Maōs from power."

"Poor Am-chan." Serafall consolingly said. "I'm sorry to hear about your professor."

"Don't be. I have a strong suspicion that Nilrem might be behind my recent legal troubles." Ambrose grumbled with a frown.

"What makes you think that?" Sona asked, having not heard this theory.

"It's all too convenient and it happened way too quickly." Ambrose explained. "This hearing caused a huge division in the Rosicrucianism, one where lines were quickly drawn and people began taking sides. This is exactly the sort of thing Nilrem needs to recruit magicians into their new circle. There's also my cure… One of the council members in my hearing, Hess, fits the profile for someone who'd join this new circle. He's a purest who never liked the idea of relying on any of the celestial factions. He also has an extreme hatred towards certain Yōkai such as werewolves and vampires. In addition to dividing Rosicrucianism, I believe he wants to hurt me financially in revenge."

"In revenge for what?" Sona curiously asked, wondering what else her fiance had gotten up to in his past

"I may have politically ruined him, completely stalling his once promising career as a politician." Ambrose embarrassingly admitted. "He's ambitious, but unable to rise further in the ranks because of me. Joining a new circle makes sense, and if he can hurt me in the process then that's just a bonus."

"You think this is all about revenge?" Serafall asked, trying to understand the matter.

"Not completely, like I said; it's a bonus." He explained to her. "Think about it, he gets to ruin me and levy a ton of fines on me for fraud and back taxes. If I go bankrupt, he wins. If I sell the cure to pay the fines, he wins. If I ask my… father.. for help, he gets to embezzle a fortune out of the Rosicrucianism and into Nilrem coffers at the expense of the Devil Nation."

"It does make a certain amount of sense." Sona reasoned as she considered the possibility.

"What's so special about the cure?" Serafall asked "It just cures lycanthropy."

"You didn't tell her?" Sona asked in amusement

"To be honest, I have a lot on my plate." Ambrose uncomfortably admitted before giving Serafall his attention. "Setting aside from the fact the Ferris Clan will go to war if my cure is used as a weapon, if the cure ever gets into someone else's hands then they'll soon discover that it actually turns any supernatural into a human."

"You never told me whether or not it works on devils." Sona said, wanting to get an answer to that question.

Serafall suddenly turned and gave Ambrose a rather sharp look.

"Yes and no." Ambrose carefully admitted, giving Serafall a contrite look. "The whole reason I had Sona's **[Evil Pieces]** was because I was testing to see if they affected the cure. The truth is that the cure can turn a devil into a human; however, if that devil has an evil piece then the cure will have no effect on them."

Grabbing his shoulders and looking him dead in the eyes, Serafall gave him a rather serious look. "You realize this is a threat to the entire Devil Nation. There are only a handful of **[Evil Pieces]** and the majority of devils don't have any. Currently it's strictly limited to the Pillars."

"I realize that, and I'm the only one who knows the recipe." Ambrose explained, trying to reason with her.

"But you don't have complete control." Serafall quickly observed. "You don't personally cure every single person who comes looking for a cure."

"No, not anymore but I trust my employees." Ambrose said, trying to help her understand. "Besides, my shop is closed and won't open again unless I'm able to solve my recent legal problems. With the way things are looking, my shop might stay closed permanently."

"Setting aside Am-chan's business for a moment, there's something I don't understand about Nilrem. Why are they so focused on the Maōs? Don't they simply want the Earth free of all of the celestial factions. Why try to remove them power?" Sona asked as she tried to make sense of everything.

"Euberhard said it that starting a war between the three factions was just one step in their goals, but ousting the Maōs from power was a larger part of their greater goal." Ambrose admitted as he recalled the details. "He didn't say much else and was rather tight lipped the whole master plan since I'm not a member. The only reason he told me so much was because I promised to spy for him."

"Good thinking." Serafall quickly said with a bright smile. "We can feed him some non-classified information until we're ready to set a trap for him and the entire group."

" _That was awfully quick, Onee-sama."_ Sona thought, surprised that her sister showed such trust in him after being so alarmed about finding out the cure's capability. Even though Sona trusted her fiance, she still had needed a moment to deduce his motivations behind accepting Nilrem's offer.

"You think it's a good idea?" Ambrose questioned the Maō. "It's not too late for me to walk away."

"Let's deal with Kokabiel first before we worry about Nilrem. I doubt they'd expect you to know anything useful right away so we can wait awhile. However, I do have one suggestion..." Serafall began to trail off before finishing her thought. "I think you should tell your father."

Ambrose didn't reply, but he was clearly surprised.

Serafall went on to explain herself before he could retort. "If Nilrem plans to remove the Maōs from then this affects him as well. Sirzechs-chan should also know about the trouble he caused you with his business. I'm not telling you to contact him but… it's something you should think about doing."

Ambrose took a calming breath, collecting his thoughts before he replied. "Alright, I'll contact him but not tonight. We've got enough to worry about with this whole Kokabiel situation."

"Did something new happen?" Sona curiously asked, knowing they all needed to be fully informed at this critical junction.

"Aside from the exorcists, I can confirm there are new holy signatures on the map." Ambrose explained to her. "The exorcists have taken residence in the abandoned church. Separately, there are three new holy signatures that are spread out across Kuoh. Serafall and I believe that this is where the Excalibur Fragments are located."

"Sona, you and Ambrose need to go out tomorrow and destroy those Holy Swords." Serafall soberly stated to Sona's surprise.

"You want us to get involved? Tomorrow?" Sona asked in disbelief. _"I knew it would happen soon, but tomorrow?"_

"Rias's **[Knight]** Kiba has gone stray." Serafall uncomfortably informed her. "He's going to try to destroy every Holy Sword he can find, and I don't think he cares if the exorcists are wielding them."

"He specifically said he was going to kill any wielders he found." Ambrose reminded the Maō.

"Kiba went stray…." Sona repeated in complete disbelief. "What's Rias planning on doing about it?"

"Last time I checked she was crying about it." Ambrose awkwardly admitted.

Although part of her wanted to go and comfort her friend, Sona realized this information posed a risk to all the devils in Kuoh. "If he attacks the exorcists then it'll restart the war. Shouldn't Kiba be the primary target?"

"If you come across Kiba during your mission then Am-chan will capture him." Serafall explained to her. "But I want him protecting you and your peerage as you seek out and destroy those fragments. Without those Fragments, Kokabiel's plans fall apart."

"What do we know about where they are?" Sona asked, wanting to mentally prepare for what's to come.

"One of them is on the outskirts of town, at some abandoned Shinto shrine. As I recall, the place is a ruin. We believe they stashed a Fragment there for safe keeping." Ambrose informed her.

"Are you certain?" Sona asked. "Fallen Angels have been known to take residence in abandoned churches."

"This particular signature hasn't move since we first spotted it, the two other signatures are mobile." Ambrose said, continuing his briefing. "We learned that Kokabiel has arrived with an exorcists, the same one who escaped my raid on the abandoned church last month. One of these signatures is paroling around the south side of the city and we believe that it's this rouge exorcist. The last one has been moving around in a high end luxury apartment building; Kokabiel is most likely there."

"Sona, your peerage is still young and it's incomplete" Serafall said, picking up where Ambrose left off. "I want Am-chan with you and your peerage when you deal with these threats. I want all of you to wear Rating Game ear pieces so I can be constantly updated on the situation. Should either of you find Kokabiel, I want you to get your peerage out of there. Am-chan will stall him until I arrive."

Realizing they had a lot more work to do, Sona took a steadying breath. "Okay. Let's hammer out the details."

* * *

Despite being exhausted after suffering a humiliating defeat, Issei Hyoudou trudged across the fancy hall of an apartment building he probably could never afford to live in. Reaching out and knocking on the door, he gave a tired sigh as he waited for it to open.

"Yo, Devil-kun" The occupant and sole client of Issei Hyoudou answered. As the tall man with a strange mixture of black and blonde hair took in the appearance the young devil, he frowned at the sight. "Rough day?"

"You don't know the half of it." Issei complained as he wearily came in and plopped down on the couch.

"Want to talk about it?" The man asked as he sat down next to Issei and poured himself a drink.

"It's devil stuff." Issei weakly explained. "Besides, I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"Oh, don't be like that Devil-kun." The man said with a charming smile. "Maybe what you need is the perspective of an outsider. Someone who can see the situation from a different angle."

"Maybe… it's just..." Issei hesitantly began. "I have this friend… kinda… He left the peerage in order to hunt down these 'weapons' that have started popping up around the city."

"Are they dangerous?" The man worriedly asked before taking a drink.

"They're pretty dangerous, especially to devils." Issei explained. "And there are these two exorcists, they've come to Kuoh to retrieve them and brought some of these weapons with them as well. So we have my friend who's off on some quest to destroy these weapons and doesn't care if he kills these exorcists and starts a war because of it. Oh yeah, one of these exorcists is a childhood friend of mine who wants to kill me for being a devil so she can purify my soul."

"Whoa, that's tough." The man said, lightly chuckling at Issei's predicament. "You sure you don't want a drink?"

"Hey, this isn't a laughing matter." Issei angrily said, glaring at the man.

"No need to be angry, Devil-kun. I didn't mean anything by it." He said, putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "It's just, you weren't joking about your problems being tough. That's all."

"So, got any sagely wisdom for me?" Issei asked, desperate to find a solution.

"These weapons, I'm assuming they're Holy weapons and that's why it's so dangerous for you devils to get involved?" The man asked as he refilled his drink.

"Yeah?"

"Well..." Issei's client trailed off. "What about that one devil you told me about. The one who's immune to holy energy."

"You think he could help?" Issei curiously asked as he considered the idea.

"Maybe." The man conceded after a moment of thought. "Tell me more about him. What's he like?"


	27. Season 2, Chapter 5

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

To say that things were spiraling out of control for Rias Gremory would be an understatement.

" _But things could always be worse."_ She reminded herself as she silently crept up the stairs.

Rias buried the humiliation she felt at having to sneak around in her own club room. She was Buchou, **[King]** , she was Rias Gremory the heiress to the Gremory Clan; yet here she was skulking around her own private headquarters to see if her unmanageable nephew was in a good mood. It was a surprise to discover her nephew had willingly walked into her Club Room to see Gaspar, but it presented an opportunity Rias couldn't afford to lose.

" _The last thing I need is Ambrose getting involved with these exorcists."_ Rias thought as she steeled her nerves and prepared herself. _"It's bad enough that Yuuto has run away. If Ambrose some how gets mixed up in this mess with the exorcists then it would become a complete catastrophe."_

Peeking around the corner, she peered into Gaspar's room and couldn't help but smile at the sight. It seemed that Gaspar was hosting a little lunch party with Ambrose, Koneko and surprisingly enough Sona's **[Knight]** Tomoe as well. Normally Gaspar would avoid people or perhaps hide in his coffin or a cardboard box whenever someone came to see him, but Rias was astonished to see him sitting cheerfully on Tomoe's lap. Her little **[Bishop]** was growing out of his shell and making his own friends.

"I can't believe you wanted a durian flavored plasma juice." Ambrose groused as he gave Gaspar an exasperated look.

"Why, it's really good?" Gaspar happily replied as he drank his juice box.

"It smells like rotting onions and cheese." Ambrose continued to complain, his nose curling in disgust as he recalled the scent.

"Hey, Gaspar?" Tomoe spoke up, causing the little dhampire to look up at her with wide curious eyes. "Do you eat normal food?"

"Sometimes..." Gaspar explained to the girl as he rocked back and forth in her lap.

"Gaspar ate all the mochi the other day and didn't save me any." Koneko softly spoke up as she continued to enjoy her cake.

"But Koneko-chan..." The little dhampire whined. "There were only two pieces left in the box. You ate all the rest."

"Hmph." Was Koneko's only reply as she took another bite.

"Gaspar, if you like sweet so much then I could take you to a great confectionery shop." Tomoe mentioned, her face burning red. "We could go, just the two of us."

"You mean outside?" Gaspar panically asked, his eyes growing wide and fearful at the idea. "With people?"

"She's asking you out on a date, dummy." Koneko explained, looking at Gaspar as if he were thick headed.

"A d-d-date?" Gaspar stammered as he turned to look at Tomoe's blushing face.

Rias remained hidden, watching this little exchange and hoping she wasn't seen. _"_ _Although_ _I need to speak to Ambrose,_ _I wouldn't_ _dare interrupt this touching scene. Come on Gaspar..."_

"I don't know Tomoe-senpai… People are scary." Gaspar explained with tears in his eyes.

Seeing the sad face in Tomoe's eyes, Koneko put her fork down for a moment in order to glare at the dhampire. "Gaspar, you're being annoying."

"Koneko-chan..." Gaspar whined as his eyes filled with tears.

"I have an idea." Ambrose suddenly spoke up, looking around the table. "How about Tomoe goes to pick up some sweets at the shop she mentioned and then she and Gaspar can have a nice picnic outside, somewhere private."

Hearing the suggestion, Tomoe immediately perked up. "That's a great idea, what do you think Gaspar-chan?"

Gaspar took a moment to look at Tomoe's bright smile. He quickly looked down at his juice box as his own cheeks turned rosy and answered. "O-Okay, Tomoe-senpai."

"Oh Gaspar, I'm thrilled to hear that." Tomoe cooed as she cuddled him from behind. "You can call me Onee-san now if you want to."

"Onee-san?" Ambrose asked curiously. "I thought you wanted to date him. Why would you want him to call you big sister?"

"Oh, it's a Japanese archetype." Tomoe explained to him. "Some guys like dating an older sister type. Some girls like dating a younger little brother types. They just call each other Onee-san and Onii-chan as pet names."

"What? Really?" Ambrose asked in surprise, his own cheeks suddenly turning red. _"_ _In the future, Levi-tan asked me to become her Onii-chan… She said she wanted the three of us to be a family… could she mean... that?"_

"Ambrose-senpai, why are you blushing?" Koneko asked as she peered at him.

Ambrose awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away. "No reason..."

"Are you thinking of perverted things?" Koneko continued to press, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm not Hyoudou-kun. I just didn't know Japanese people did things like that. I'm still getting used to the culture." Ambrose firmly replied before standing up. "I should go, there's a few things I need to do before lunch ends."

"You're not mad, are you Am-kun?" Gaspar worriedly asked with a frown.

"No, not at all." Ambrose replied, giving the little dhampire a reassuring smile. "I'll see you all later."

As he walked out, Rias noticed that he gave Tomoe a rather serious look that she couldn't decipher. She noticed Tomoe simply responded with a nod and squeezed Gaspar closer to her chest.

" _It's now or never."_ Rias thought as she casually strolled around the corner in order to appear as if she wasn't eavesdropping. "Ambrose, I'm glad I caught you. Can I have a moment of your time?"

"I'm kind of busy right now." He curtly replied, brushing her off.

"Then how about after school?" Rias quickly suggested, unwilling to let him evade her. "It's really important."

"I've already made plans after school." Ambrose answered as he walked passed her and continued down the hallway.

"What kind of plans?" Rias demanded as she rushed to catch up to him.

"I'm cleaning my bathroom." He quickly retorted.

"Ambrose, stop." Rias urged as she ran ahead of him and blocked his path. "Would you please be serious for just a moment?"

"Soap scum is serious business." Ambrose glibly answered, before huffing in annoyance. "Fine. If you must know, Sona's moving in with me today. I want to make sure everything is ready for her."

" _I certainly wasn't expecting that."_ Rias privately thought, completely off guard. She shook off her thoughts on that matter before addressing her concerns. "Listen, I wanted to let you know that there are a couple of exorcists in town."

"I am aware." Ambrose simply replied. Seeing Rias's surprised look, he explained. "Sona and I do talk."

"You may not recognize yourself as a devil, but they will." Rias urgently explained to him. "I wanted to make sure you aren't planning in getting involved with them."

"I won't get involved with them unless I have to." He answered before giving her a rather accusing look. "By the way, where's Kiba?"

"Y-Yuuto?" Rias stuttered, suddenly caught off guard by the mention of her absent **[Knight]**. "I'm afraid he's come down with a bit of a cold."

"I didn't know devils could get colds. I've never been sick." Ambrose mentioned before his gaze hardened. "Perhaps you should worry about your own before you worry about me?"

"You are one of my own." Rias firmly replied, "You may not want it to be true, but you're still my nephew."

"Whatever you say, Old Lady." He said as he brushed passed her and walked out the door.

" _Damn it, Ambrose."_ Rias mentally cursed as she watched another person slam the door in her face. _"I only hope your anger at me doesn't cloud your judgment. Getting involved with these exorcists could be a disaster for us all."_

* * *

Issei scanned the school grounds, desperately looking for the one person who could provide the help he needed. He wasn't sure how Ambrose could help him, but the Old Man hadn't steered him wrong yet. He was so focused on his task, he paid no attention to the conversation going on around him.

"Sure, I'll go to karaoke with you guys." Aika said with a smile to two of the biggest perverts in Kuoh.

"Asia-chan, would you like to go with us?" Matsuda eagerly asked with a wide grin.

"Sure, that sounds like fun." Asia earnestly replied with an innocent smile. She took a moment and gave Issei a worried look as he continued to search the sports field.

"Forget about Kiryuu, Asia-chan is coming!" Matsuda loudly cheered in excitement. "I'm going to sing my heart out."

"You should be more careful around these guys." Saji spoke up, suddenly appearing as he gently took Asia's hand. "Their perverted ways will rub off on you."

"Oh, hello Saji-san." Asia greeted the devil with a smile.

"Don't act all high and mighty! You're stuck doing clean up duty along with the rest of us." Motohama angrily yelled, causing Saji's bluster to deflate before their eyes.

"Never mind that." Aika heatedly interrupted the boys. "Were you two just going to blow me off after I graciously accepted your invitation?"

"Of course." Motohama replied, adjusting his glasses. "It's not like we'll need you when we have a real woman like Asia-chan."

Aika's eye visibly twitched at the remark, before she gave off a confident grin. "Maybe you guys don't know what to do with a woman, but I see someone who does. Hey Ambrose-senpai!"

"Ambrose-sama?" Issei questioned, as he broke his gaze from the school grounds, only to find the individual he had been searching for approach them.

The rest of the group turned to see the red headed transfer student look at them with curious eyes. "Kiryuu-san? What is it?"

"We were just making plans to go to a karaoke place after school." Aika said, striking a confident pose. "How would you like to join us?"

"No Way!" Matsuda shouted as he glared the interloper. "It's already enough of a sausage-fest, we don't need the transfer student."

"Why are you still calling me a transfer student?" Ambrose asked in disbelief. "Asia transferred more recently than I have."

"Because, unlike Asia, we'll never accept you!" Motohama adamantly replied.

"Don't be like that boys." Aika said as she slid up next to the tall red head. "We should be more welcoming to all of Kuoh's new students. That's why he should join us for karaoke tonight."

"Who's joining you for karaoke, Kiryuu-san?" A voice behind Aika harshly asked, causing all the boys to immediately stiffen in response.

Aika didn't have turn around to know who was there. "H-Hello, Kaichō. It's not what you think, it's just a friendly get-together… that's all."

"Uh huh." Sona replied, unmoved and unconvinced.

Ambrose gave his underclassman an apologetic smile as he moved to stand next to Sona. "Sorry, Kiryuu-san. I've already made plans tonight."

"Saji has plans tonight too." Sona spoke up, giving her **[Pawn]** a significant look.

"Hai, Kaichō." Saji depressingly replied as he watched the pair turn to leave.

"Maybe another time." Aika called out as the couple left before she turned around to address the rest of the group. "Think we should ask anyone else? Hey, Hyoudou, where are you going?"

"I gotta run." Issei shouted as he darted past the group and ran towards the departing couple. "Hey! Ambrose-sama!"

" _Did he just call him 'sama'?"_ Aika thought in disbelief as she watched Hyoudou chase after the couple.

Hearing his name caused Ambrose to stiffen in surprise, and turned to Hyoudou as he and Sona kept walking. "Sama?"

"Yeah..." Issei commented as he slowed down to walk alongside of them. "You're a prince, right? Because of your father?"

"How about you just refer to me as Ambrose?" He suggested with an uncomfortable expression on his face. "In fact, let's pretend that whole father/son thing never happened."

"Okay..." Issei awkwardly replied before he recalled what he came here for. "Look, I'd hate to ask but I need your help with something."

"Like I told Kiryuu, I'm kind of busy." Ambrose explained to the young devil.

"This is important, it's about Kiba" Issei interrupted, trying to get him to listen.

"What about Kiba?" He offhandedly asked.

"Not here, can you meet me after school?" Issei pleaded, putting his hands in front of him in a begging state.

Sona and Ambrose gave each other a significant look before the alchemist sighed in defeat. "Alright, I have a little time after school."

"Great. There's this cafe a couple of blocks down the street. I'll meet you there, okay?" Issei asked, though he ran off before he got an answer.

"Looks like you've got a date this afternoon." Sona commented with a teasing smile.

"Shut up." Ambrose humorously replied, scoffing at the idea as the pair began to walk back to class. "I only accepted because he said it was about Kiba. The rest of Rias's peerage didn't seem to know anything about him, nor did it seem as if Gremory was going to take any action in regards to her stray servant."

"You spoke to Rias?" Sona asked, surprised that he would make such a move.

"She said he's sick." Ambrose replied, as if Rias's excuse was ridiculous. "Tomoe is with the rest of the Gremory peerage now, if she hears anything else she'll let us know."

"Tomoe is pretty good about digging up secrets and gossip." Sona remarked as the two entered the school building.

"I think she was mostly there for Gaspar." Ambrose commented with a frown. "She asked him out on a date."

Sona frowned in response as she nodded along. She had already told most of her peerage of what was expected of them tonight, Saji was the last to know. "I guess facing death makes you think of the things you never got to accomplish."

"No one's dying." Ambrose firmly replied as he took her hand in comfort. "Remember all the training you put them through. Hell, remember the training I put you through. This isn't going to happen like before; we're aware of the threat and we're going to deal with it."

"Hyoudou could also have important information regarding the exorcists." Sona commented as they walked down the hall. "He is… or was friends with one of them."

"It might be a good idea to find and warn the exorcists as well." Ambrose said, surprising Sona. "If Kiba attacks them, they might think his actions are sanctioned by the Maōs."

Sona frowned as she considered the possibility and reluctantly admitted he had a point. "We'll have to clear it with Onee-sama first. Mind if I come along to this meeting with Hyoudou?"

"Scared he's going to woo me away from you?" Ambrose asked with a teasing grin.

"Not after what we did yesterday." Sona flirted back with a smile before turning serious once more. "I'm more worried about Hyoudou and what he might do in regards to this whole situation. Rias clearly isn't handling it, and the last thing we need is for Hyoudou to act on his own."

"If we do decide to warn the exorcists then you might want to consider being the one to approach them." Ambrose commented after a moment of thought. "You've already met them once. It'd be best if someone with actual authority over the devils were present."

"I'll make arrangements with Tsubaki." Sona said as they entered the class. "She'll ensure the peerage is ready for tonight."

* * *

"Testing, testing. One, two, three." Ambrose said over the magical com-link. "Can you hear me, Levi-tan?"

["I read you loud and clear."] Serafall's voice responded in his ear. ["Sona, are you there?"]

"I'm here, Onee-sama." Sona answered.

["Status update?"] The Maō requested.

"No new information on Yuuto's whereabouts." Ambrose informed her. "None of the Gremory peerage seemed to know where he is. Rias gave the excuse that he was sick, but I'm not buying it."

["Devils can't get sick from human diseases."] Serafall explained to him. ["It's a good cover to fool the human population, but I'm surprised she tried to pass off such an obvious false excuse to you."]

"Rias is trying to cover up the fact that he went stray." Sona observed as she considered the entire situation. "She was most likely counting on Ambrose being completely ignorant of Devil physiology in order to continue her ruse."

"Hyoudou-kun pulled me aside and asked for a private meeting, off campus and away from Rias's prying eyes." Ambrose said, continuing his briefing. "He wants to talk about Yuuto; we're going to meet with him now."

["Alright, you two should be go com silent so as not to let alert the Red Dragon Emperor to my presence."] Serafall replied. ["I'll be listening in."]

"Acknowledged." Ambrose replied as he and Sona approached a nice outdoor cafe, where tables were placed around a group of potted shrubbery to provide a bit of privacy.

And there at a secluded table, waited Issei Hyoudou who rose in surprise at seeing the pair together.

"I didn't know you'd bring Kaichō." Issei uncomfortably said, sparing a glance at Sona. "I… kind of wanted to talk in private."

"So I was right." Sona triumphantly said with a smirk. "Hyoudou-kun was asking you out on a date."

"What?! No!" Issei stood up and protested. "It's about Kiba!"

"You want to ask Kiba out on a date?" Ambrose teasingly asked, causing Serafall to laugh hysterically over the com-link.

"Gah! No!" Issei continued to yell, causing the other patrons to turn their heads to look at him. He quickly sat back down in an effort to not attract further attention.

"Excuse me..." The waitress interrupted the three of them. "Here are the drinks you ordered, please be considerate of the other guests."

"Sorry." Issei apologized to the waitress before turning to the couple "I.. I took the liberty of ordering something. Like I said, I wasn't expecting Kaichō to join us."

"What is this?" Ambrose asked looking at the drink as if it might sprout legs and walk away.

"It's bubble tea." Sona explained, noticing his confused look. "It's a sweet tea that's popular here in Japan."

["So-tan! Am-chan!"] Serafall excitedly spoke up over the com. ["I want some bubble tea!"]

Carefully examining the drink, it always amazed Ambrose how one culture could both admire and destroy another culture's culinary arts. The Americans had done something similar to the French by taking a croissant and turning it into a croissandwich.

" _And now it seems that Japan is set changing the very definition of_ _tea."_ Ambrose privately thought as he looked at the offending glass in front of him. It was orange, had ice in it, far too much milk, and appeared to have some sort of black gelatinous spheres settling down at the bottom.

["Bubble Tea! Bubble Tea!"] The Maō continued to cheer over their ear.

Ignoring the Maōs comments over the com-line, Ambrose gave the waitress a beseeching look. "Could I please have some normal tea?"

"Two green teas." Sona ordered, before turning to address Issei as the waitress left. "So, you said it was about Kiba, what don't you want me to know?"

Seeing Hyoudou continue to look uncomfortable, Ambrose addressed the young devil. "I would have told her anyway, so she might as well hear it from you."

"Fine, it's just… Kiba's gone. He's left the peerage to hunt down those artifacts the church came to collect and I don't know what to do." Issei frustratingly replied, hoping they'd understand.

"This sounds like a Gremory matter, which I'm not suppose to get involved in." Sona stated before getting to the heart of the matter. "What's Rias planning on doing about it?"

"Nothing." Issei answered, baffled at his **[King]** 's lack of action. "She isn't doing anything and I'm worried. If Kiba attacks the exorcists then he could hurt Irina and get us all serious trouble. Or they might kill him and I'm not willing to let that happen either. Rias said that a peerage is suppose to be family, how can she just stand by and do nothing?"

Sona took a moment as she considered the possibilities before answering. "Kiba has put Rias in a difficult situation by going off on his own to fight members of the church. If Rias helps him, then she's supporting his actions and it might cause another war to break out. However, if she tries to stop him then he'd come to resent her for it and become even more disobedient. It's a lose lose situation."

 _"Rias always did have trouble making the tough choices."_ Sona privately reflected.

"She should have at least detained him until the exorcists left and dealt with the aftermath." Ambrose commented with a frown. "The last thing we need is a stray devil complicating matters even further."

"Stray devil?" Issei asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"It's when a devil breaks away from his or her master and causes havoc, endangering the lives of other people to satisfy their own desires." Sona replied, giving him a look which impressed the seriousness of the issue at hand. "Typically stray devils are killed on sight."

"We can't let that happen!" Issei exclaimed in horror. "We've got to stop him, we have to save him."

["Am-chan, So-tan, you can't let him act on his own."] Serafall ordered. ["It's bad enough that one of Rias's servants has gone stray, the last thing we need is the Red Dragon Emperor on the loose and creating more problems for us."]

Ambrose spoke up to relay the Maōs concerns. "Hyoudou, I think it would be best if you let me handle this. You could get in serious trouble if Gremory found out you took any action without her approval."

"Kiba could die and it would break Buchou's heart." Issei adamantly stated. "I'm not going to just sit back and do nothing."

"And neither will I." A soft voice spoke up.

Turning their heads, the group was then greeted by the Gremory **[Rook]** , Koneko, who quickly sat down and made herself comfortable.

"Did Rias send you?" Ambrose asked as he watched the girl snatch the free bubble tea and started drinking.

"No." Koneko simply replied as she chewed on one of the gelatinous spheres. "I'm only here to help Yuuto-senpai."

["Two more of Rias's servants have gone rogue?"] Serafall asked in disbelief. ["She can't manage her peerage at all!"]

"As I was just telling Hyoudou-kun, it would be best for everyone if I handled this alone." Ambrose informed the petite girl. "I'll freeze him in a block of ice and bring him back in one piece. The exorcists won't even know he's gone stray."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Issei worriedly asked. "And what about the church, couldn't we ask them for help?"

"Ask the church for help?" Koneko asked as she continued to drink her stolen bubble tea.

"The church isn't known for helping our kind." Sona pointed out, giving Hyoudou an exasperated look.

"Look, they said they'd rather destroy the Excalibur Fragments rather than see it fall into the hands of Fallen Angels." Issei explained to the group. "And Kiba wants to destroy them in revenge for those experiments he went through. It sounds like they have a common goal. I don't see why we can't work together."

"I don't think they'd be eager for our help." Koneko observed, giving Hyoudou a doubtful look.

"It's worth a try. I refuse to let Kiba go stray and get himself killed. He's a Gremory **[Knight]** , and we can't abandon him." Issei stated with conviction.

"Issei..." Ambrose suddenly said, giving the young devil a look of disbelief. "Could it be that you have one redeemable quality?"

"No." Koneko spoke up, narrowing her eyes at her fellow peerage member. "He only wants to impress Buchou so he can fondle her breasts."

"Yeah, that too." Issei embarrassingly admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, what do you think?" Ambrose asked, turning to Sona; but they both knew he was looking for instructions from Serafall.

Serafall was quiet for a moment before she reluctantly answered. ["The Red Dragon Emperor could help us establish a peaceful meeting with the exorcists since he knows one of them. We probably should warn them about Kiba, so they don't think we're involved if he does wind up attacking them."]

"While I don't believe the exorcists will help us, they should be warned that Kiba could be a threat." Sona spoke up, relaying her sister's message to the two uninformed devils. "Hyoudou-kun, you know one of the exorcists personally. Do you think they'll listen?"

"I dunno." Issei frowned as he thought out loud. "They did believe us when we told them about the rogue exorcists earlier, but Irina's a lot different than I remember."

"I heard you thought she was a boy." Koneko said, causing Issei to blush in embarrassment.

"I spoke to them when they first arrived." Sona spoke up as she recalled their meeting. "While we're not friendly, we did establish a respectful diplomatic relationship. I should be there with you."

"That's great and all, it's just…." Issei uncertainly trailed off, "Where are we going to find them?"

* * *

Thankfully, finding the exorcists proved to be quite easy. The two Excalibur Fragments the exorcists were carrying left a clear signature which pinpointed their location on the map. With that information, Serafall was able to relay the exact location of the two exorcists to both Sona and Ambrose.

Surprisingly enough, the group found the two exorcists almost two blocks away, dressed in their white robes as they begged for money in the middle of the street.

"Please help two stray sheep of the Lord." Xenovia tiredly called out to any passersby.

"Please act in the Lord's stead, and give us your blessing." Irina imploringly continued.

As it turned out, getting them to agree to a meeting was a simple as offering them another free meal.

" _Though I'm not certain we'll have too much time to talk, given the amount of food they just ordered."_ Sona thought with a frown as she looked across the booth at the two exorcist who practically ordered the left side of the menu.

Decorum stated that when taking a meeting during dinner, business is discussed after the meal; unless the matter was urgent.

Given the situation, Sona felt that this qualified as an urgent matter. "If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if we began while we wait for our meals."

"Alright." Xenovia acquiesced as she gave Sona a scrutinizing look. "I'm rather curious as to why you sought us out."

"We want to help you destroy the Excalibur Fragments." Issei suddenly spoke up.

"You what?" Xenovia questioned, glaring at the devil.

["What did he just say?!"] Serafall loudly yelled in shock. ["You're only suppose to warn the exorcists!"]

"That's not why we're here." Sona quickly interjected, interrupting the impetuous devil. "We're here to inform you that one of Gremory's servants, Yuuto Kiba, has gone rogue."

"You mean he's gone stray." Xenovia clarified with a grim look.

"Correct." Sona simply answered. "He wants to destroy the Excalibur Fragments because of what happened to him in the Holy Sword experiment. There's also very real possibility that he might not care who's wielding the Fragment."

"You realize this means we're authorized to take care of him, should he jeopardize our mission." Xenovia pointed out.

"No one needs to kill anyone." Issei firmly spoke up. "You two said you'd be willing to destroy the fragments if it meant getting them out of the hands of Fallen Angels, Yuuto just wants to destroy them; you two have a common goal."

"Revenge is a powerful motivator, and Kiba might not be willing to cooperate with any of us." Ambrose commented, before addressing the exorcists. "All we're asking is that you avoid him and allow us to deal with him. We'll be out looking for him, but please contact us if he crosses your path so we can deal with him ourselves."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Irina asked, addressing the unknown person.

"I am Ambrose, the Dragon Slayer. Alchemist, magician, and a member of the Rosicrucianism." He said, introducing himself and showing them his magician ID.

"Rosicrucianism?" Irina asked in surprised. "You're a long way from home. What are you doing all the way in Japan?"

"I had a unique problem that required the help of ... a special individual. Sona Sitri is rather renown, in certain circles, for her intelligence. I came here to find her and see if she could help me with my problem. Since then we've grown rather close to one another." Ambrose finished, as he and Sona shared a rather fond look.

"Oh My God, That's so romantic! Two people, separated by race and belief, finding love despite all the obstacles." Irina excitedly gushed, turning to Sona. "You're so lucky to have a boyfriend."

Unconcerned with her partner's fondness for romance, Xenovia gave him a scrutinizing look from head to toe."So, you're not a devil?"

"I assure you, if I was a devil then no one would be more surprised than me." Ambrose answered, obfuscating the truth. "Tell me, how did you two end up in such a sorry state? Is the Vatican not funding your operation?"

"Irina spent all of our money on what she thought was a holy relic." Xenovia replied, glaring at her blushing companion.

"The man in the art gallery said it was a genuine portrait of a saint." Irina weakly explained. "It called to me."

"It was a cheap knock off, even a child could tell." Xenovia argued back.

"Excuse me, but can we stay focused on the matter at hand?" Sona interrupted, trying to bring the conversation on back on track.

"Order up." Said a waitress, who suddenly appeared at their table along with two of her co-workers each carrying a tray full of food. "Okay, that's four milkshakes, one espresso, one hot tea. Three burgers, one with no pickles, two Salisbury steaks, three udon noodles, two curry rice, and one banana sundae."

Sona frowned as she realized they would be no further discussion so long as food was on the table. With a quiet "Itadakimasu", Sona took a sip of her tea before snapping her chopsticks and began to pick at her udon.

"… and thank you for the food we are about to receive, Amen." The two exorcists said as they finished their prayer.

["Sona, don't eat that!"] Serafall shouted over the com-link.

Sona, Koneko and Issei quickly pushed their food away from them, acting as if they'd be harmed just by its proximity.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Irina contritely apologized with an embarrassed laugh. "Force of habit."

"Does that mean you're not going to eat that?" Xenovia asked with food in her mouth.

"No." Sona simply replied, glaring at her lack of manners.

"My sundae." Koneko mournfully said as she longingly stared at her tainted food.

"Go ahead and order another one, Koneko-chan." Ambrose said to the petite devil. "I'll cover the bill."

"Thank you." Koneko replied with a small smile as she ordered a replacement.

"Yes, thank you Ambrose. We've had to depend on strangers ever since we arrived in Kuoh." Xenovia earnestly said with gratitude. "At least we won't have to rely on a devil for this meal."

" _Oh sure, you're polite now. But I bet you wouldn't bother thanking him if you knew he was a devil."_ Sona privately griped to herself.

"O'Lord, bless this kindhearted stranger." Irina prayed as she closed her eyes in reverence.

"Please don't bless my boyfriend." Sona said, giving the exorcist an annoyed look.

"One thing I don't understand is why you're getting involved in this." Xenovia questioned, giving Ambrose a rather curious look as she reached for another plate. "This is a matter between the Church and the Devil's of Kuoh. What's your interest in all of this?"

"You can consider me a neutral party. What I want, most of all, is to ensure that the peace between all the factions endures." Ambrose explained to her. "It's no coincidence that Kokabiel chose to bring these Holy Artifacts here. He's a known warmonger and killing the devils in Kuoh, while implicating the Church, would definitely restart the war he longs for. On the other hand, killing two exorcists and implicating the devils here would also see his goal come to fruition. It's a very dangerous situation, and now we have Kiba going off on his own which further complicates things. All we ask is that you let us handle it."

"But we can do so much more." Issei hastily interjected. "Yuuto might come around if we all teamed up together to destroy these Fragments. That way Irina, Xenovia, and Yuuto would have a better chance to survive this mess."

"Issei..." Irina whispered in awe as she gave her childhood friend a fond look.

"Hyoudou-kun, the situation is complicated enough as it is." Sona firmly reminded him. "And the two exorcists would likely be punished if we were to get involved."

"She's right, the church would never authorize us to accept the help of devils." Xenovia firmly stated before taking on a rather uncertain look. "Although we can't cooperate with you, we could probably allow you to destroy one of the Fragments."

"Seriously?!" Issei exclaimed in surprise.

["Seriously?!"] Serafall shouted in shock.

" _That was unexpected."_ Sona thought as her eyes went wide in surprise.

"Xenovia, are you sure?" Irina worriedly asked her companion.

"When we accepted this mission, Irina and I both knew it would probably end in our deaths." Xenovia weightily explained to the group. "We're prepared to give our lives for the sake of our mission and in the name of our Lord. But let's be honest; we're up against Kokabiel, a Cadre class Fallen Angel. Collecting three fragments is more than the two of us can do alone. At best, we have a 30% chance of survival."

"Excuse me for a moment." Ambrose suddenly said, standing up from the table. "I have a phone call."

" _More likely you want to have a private chat with Onee-sama."_ Sona reasoned as she watched him walk away. _"Although I can' t blame you, this is quickly getting out of hand."_

"Levi-tan." Ambrose said, once he was well away from the group. "I think we should bring them into the fold."

["Why would we want to do that?"] Serafall answered over the com-link.

"Sona's peerage and I are going after the Excalibur Fragments tonight, regardless of what happens with Yuuto." Ambrose reminded her. "If we go at it alone then there's a chance the exorcists or Gremory's rogues will get in our way, which would further complicate things and jeopardize the mission. What if we gave the exorcists the location of one of the Fragments, and then conscribe Rias's servants into Sona's peerage so we can have more devils in order to search for the other two?"

["So, the exorcists would go and collect one on their own while Sona's group would have three more devils to help round up the other two."] Serafall reasoned aloud before growing silent in thought.

"You're the Maō, you're in charge." Ambrose said to her. "If you don't like it then say the word. I'll go find Yuuto and Sona's peerage can split into three groups instead of two."

["What do you think So-tan?"] Serafall asked over the com-link.

"Mmm" Sona hummed in agreement, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the group.

["Alright. I hate to admit it but would increase our chances."] Serafall grudgingly conceded. ["Find Kiba and talk to him; if he doesn't agree then capture him and bring me all of Gremory's servants. We'll then proceed alone. However, if Kiba does agree to help then you have to keep a close eye on both him and the rest of Rias-chan's servants. One has already gone stray and the other two are acting on their own; they might continue to act on their own and endanger the mission. One thing's for certain, as soon as this mission is over I'm going to have a little talk with Rias-chan about her peerage."]

* * *

Thankfully, searching for Yuuto proved to be easier than they had expected. Koneko stated, with some reluctance, that she was able to hone in on his location and was currently leading the group towards his location. While the entire group was rather pleased that someone knew where he was, there was one person listening in who wasn't nearly as content.

["Why?"] Serafall asked over the com. ["If Koneko-chan is able to located Yuuto so easily, then why hasn't Rias done anything about it? Even without Koneko-chan, Rias-chan could use the flier exploit to find her stray servant. So why isn't she doing anything about it?"]

Unfortunately, neither Sona nor Ambrose had any answers to give her.

" _Rias, you only have yourself to blame..."_ Sona privately thought.

As the sun began to set, the group walked through a nearby park where they found Yuuto quietly standing by a water fountain; no doubt waiting for night to fall so he could act more freely and without being seen.

Yuuto turned to the group as they approached; his eyes grew wide in surprise before narrowing when he spied the pair of exorcists with them. "Have you all come to stop me?"

"I think you'll want to hear us out." Ambrose replied as he began to explain the situation. "What we have here are three groups with a common goal. The church doesn't want the Fallen Angels to have the Excalibur Fragments, you want to destroy them, and the rest of us want these exorcists to complete their mission and leave in peace."

"We're willing to allow you to dispose of one of the fragments, provided you don't prevent us from collecting the others." Xenovia told the blonde **[Knight]**.

"I don't need your permission to destroy the Excalibur Fragments, especially from people like you who wield them." Yuuto harshly growled out.

"Be glad you're getting this much." Xenovia replied with a glare. "You left the Gremory Clan. That means you're a stray and I could kill you right now."

"That sounds like a fun proposition." Yuuto angrily said, summoning a blade in his hand and readying himself for a fight.

Xenovia quickly drew her own Excalibur Fragment and braced herself for a fight.

"Hold on, hold on." Issei said, standing in front of Yuuto. "We came here to talk."

"Please, stand down." Ambrose said, grabbing the back of Excalibur Destruction's blade and pushing it to the ground.

Xenovia was about to reply when suddenly a Holy glow radiated from the blade and engulfed Ambrose. He quickly moved his hand away and frowned at the unexpected event.

"A Holy reaction." Irina said in awe.

"You're a Holy Sword wielder?" Xenovia asked, shocked at the implications.

"I've never touched a Holy Sword before in my life." Ambrose replied, frowning while looking at the hand which touched the blade.

["You touched a Holy Sword?"] Serafall asked in surprise. ["I know you said you're immune, but what were you thinking grabbing a blade like that?"]

"That reaction means you have a natural affinity towards wielding Holy Blades." Xenovia explained, looking at Ambrose as if she had misjudged him. "The blade accepted you without any training, Heaven has chosen you to wield a Holy Sword."

"It's a sign from God." Irina happily exclaimed as she clasped her hands in prayer. "He sent you here to aid us in our quest."

"I'm not interested in Holy Swords." Ambrose replied in frustration. "I wasn't sent here by Heaven, I just want to prevent another war."

"You may not think He sent you, but God works in mysterious ways." Irina said, giving the alchemist a bright smile.

"Can we get back to the topic at hand?" Ambrose irritably stated, wanting to move away from the topic of the Old Deus. "We have an opportunity here for everyone to get what they want."

"You're right." Xenovia said as she turned and gave the **[Knight]** a rather serious look. "I understand your hatred towards Holy Swords, in fact the Church abhors the actions Valper Galelei took. It's why I'm willing to offer you this chance."

"Hmph." Yuuto replied as he crossed his arms and frowned in thought.

"I can offer you both another reason to work together." Ambrose spoke up, gaining the attention of the group. "I know the location of all three fragments."

Needless to say, their surprise was rather predictable.

"How could you possibly know where they're at?" Issei asked in disbelief.

"You'll recall that this isn't the first time the Fallen Angels have attacked Kuoh." Ambrose explained to the group. "During their last attack, I set up a grid of magical sensors all throughout the city. The data allowed me to create a map which can identify any large holy or demonic energy signatures within the city limits. It's not perfect, it only registers very powerful energy signatures or when magic is actively being used. It's how I was able to track down the hideout of the previous group of Fallen Angels. Lucky for us, the Excalibur Fragments emit a constant Holy aura, which is how I know where they currently are."

"You're the one who took care of the Fallen Angels?" Irina asked in surprise. "We were wondering how they all died since there was no demonic energy left at the abandoned church."

"Why didn't you tell us you knew where the Fragments were earlier?" Xenovia asked, giving him a scrutinizing look.

"I was going to, after you agreed to let us handle Kiba." Ambrose lied to her. "I needed to make sure everyone was on the same side and I figured the information would provide an incentive."

"I can't believe that you're suggesting we cooperate with them." Yuuto said in disbelief.

"Then think of it as a competition." Ambrose said, surprising the group. "We'll work separately, any Excalibur Fragment in the exorcists possession is off limits, all other ones are fair game and can be destroyed. This way, if the Church has any question about what happened they can honestly tell them that they didn't work along side us and the devils acted on their own."

"But, don't we all stand a greater chance of winning if we all team up together?" Issei worriedly asked. "You're still sending them out alone."

"Ambrose-dono is right, we have to do this on our own." Xenovia explained to the **[Pawn]**. "We would get into a lot of trouble for just agreeing to this temporary alliance."

"So what's it going to be Yuuto?" Ambrose asked, giving the **[Knight]** a significant look.

* * *

Recognizing that teaming up with this motley crew increased his chances of destroying a Holy Sword, Yuuto quickly agreed.

Meanwhile, Sona summoned her peerage and the large group of devils and exorcists began to gather in order to be briefed on the plan. It was a tense situation, and the pair of exorcists were understandably cautious about being around so many devils at once.

 _"I just wish they didn't huddle around my fiance."_ Sona mentally complained as Ambrose began the meeting.

"Alright, the magical map I have is rather valuable. I'm not willing to risk it for this mission, so I'm just going to mark each location on this normal map." Ambrose said, spreading out a large map of Kuoh.

"This one should be the easiest one." The alchemist said, pointing to an abandoned cemetery on the northwest corner. "It appeared a few days ago and hasn't moved at all. I believe that they stashed a Fragment here for save keeping, in case they somehow lost one."

"Irina and I will handle that one." Xenovia spoke up as she memorized the location. "Since she and I are working alone, so it makes the most sense."

"Agreed." Ambrose said, before pointing to an area to the south. "This next one moves around a lot. It's being carried by an individual who's probably on patrol, looking to start trouble."

"It's Freed." Yuuto angrily spat out, glaring at the map.

"Probably." Ambrose agreed. "I met him at the abandoned church, and he fled when he was about to lose so be ready for him to try escape if he's overwhelmed. He also likes to taunt his opponents in order to get them angry and catch them off guard. While he will have an Excalibur Fragment, he also uses guns and Holy grenades."

"I'm going after him." Yuuto declared to the assembled group.

"You're not going alone." Issei reminded him. "We're going with you, right Koneko-chan?"

"Mmm." The **[Rook]** hummed in agreement.

"Tomoe and Saji will go with you, along with Tsubaki who will lead the group." Sona firmly stated.

["Make sure to give Tsubaki a com-link, so I can direct her to the target."] Serafall reminded her sister.

"I don't need a baby sitter." Yuuto stubbornly complained.

"And you don't have any experience leading a strike team." Sona pointed out, glaring at Yuuto. "They're going with you, and if you go stray or put your own selfish desires ahead of the group then you'll have more to worry about then Holy Swords."

"Fine." The **[Knight]** relented.

"That leaves Sona, Momo, Reya, Tsubasa, and I. We'll be heading to this apartment building, here." Ambrose said, pointing at the map. "This is probably the most dangerous location. Not only is it surrounded by innocent bystanders, but I believe this is where Kokabiel is hiding."

"Hey, I know that place." Issei spoke up. "My client lives there."

Every single person, both devils and exorcists, turned their heads in unison as they stared at Hyoudou in disbelief.

["W-what did he just say?"] Serafall stuttered in complete astonishment.

"You're client?" Sona asked, seeking clarification.

"Yeah..." Issei hesitantly replied, as he looked back and forth at all the eyes now staring at him. "It's not what you think, he's just some guy who doesn't like drinking alone."

"Didn't know you catered to old men, Issei." Ambrose spoke up, prodding the young devil. "Here I thought you liked women."

"It isn't like that!" Issei heatedly denied as he began to back away from the group. "He just wants someone to talk to."

"And what do you talk about?" Sona continued to press as she began to stalk him. "Does he know anything about us? What did you tell him, Hyoudou?"

"Lots of stuff... He… he ask me what it was like being a devil." Issei began to explain, as his eyes began to widened in horror and realization. "I told him everything, about the peerage… both peerages… But mostly we talked about how difficult it's been for me adjusting to this new life I lead."

["Damn It Rias!"] Serafall angrily screamed over the comm. ["What kind of shitty peerage are you running?!"]

"Anything else we should know?" Ambrose angrily hissed at the **[Pawn]**.

"He… he asked a bit about you." Issei shamefully replied to the alchemist. "I.. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"What did you tell him?" Sona furiously asked, ignoring the screaming profanities that her sister was shouting over the com-link.

"It doesn't matter." Ambrose spoke up, unwilling to air out any of his secrets in front of the exorcist. "While he knows about us, he doesn't know we're coming after him tonight. We still have an advantage."

"Tsubaki." Sona spoke up, though her glare never left Hyoudou. "A word in private?"

"Hai, Kaichō." Tsubaki dutifully said, though she too was scowling at Hyoudou.

Once away from the group, Sona took a deep breath in order to calm her nerves before addressing her **[Queen]**. "I want you to take this com-link. That way you can keep in touch with our 'asset', who's currently watching over the map. She'll let you know where your target is located."

"Understood." Tsubaki said, putting on the magical ear piece. "This is Tsubaki, checking in."

["I read you."] Serafall grumbled in response, still outraged after learning of Issei's blunder.

"I suggest you get your team ready." Sona told her best friend. "Keep an eye on the Gremory's. They're a bit of a wild card and haven't trained like we have. Yuuto might still go off on his own and Hyoudou... makes mistakes."

"Don't worry, Kaichō. We'll get the job done and make sure everyone makes it through safely." Tsubaki reassuringly said as the two shared a smile.

As Tsubaki left to organize her group, Sona made her way to her fiance who was still surrounded by the two exorcists.

"If you don't mind, Irina and I are going to make our move now." Xenovia spoke up, giving Ambrose a rather unscrutable look.

" _What's with that look she's giving him?"_ Sona thought, as she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on this particular exorcist in the future.

"I'm afraid I can't give you any more than the general location of the Fragment. You might have to do a little searching." Ambrose apologized, unwilling to include the exorcists on the private line to the Maō. He then pointed to the map as he continued, "We'll meet up at this abandoned building once we've completed our mission. With any luck, this mission will end and we can all go home and rest easy tonight."

"Right. Thank you for your help Ambrose-dono" Xenovia gratefully said.

"Yes, thank you." Irina continued with a smile. "And if you change your mind, the Church would welcome you with open arms."

"I'm afraid that decision has already been made for me." Ambrose uncomfortably replied. "Though I'm not able to join your Church, I hope we can continue to cooperate with one another. Good luck to you both."

Sona watched the two leave with a sour look on her face. "They tried to recruit you, didn't they?"

"Yep."

["He turned them down."] Serafall added over the com-line. ["But I don't think they'll give up."]

Sona turned to look up at her fiance, carefully studying his face. "Are you ready, Am-chan?"

"I've waited a long time for this moment." Ambrose said as he looked at the map and focused on the apartment building. "Kokabiel thinks he's clever, but he has no idea what's coming. Tonight we're going to surround him, trap him in a magical barrier and attack him at his own apartment. Tonight... Kokabiel dies."

* * *

First, I want to extend my gratitude for all the well wishes and words of support. I really appreciate it.

Also, I want to address an issue from Calamity, who said the story is getting boring.

I'm going to assume this person meant "Predictable", since the timeline is right about where the anime is suppose to be.

To explain, the story started where the future would get skewed from where the rest of us knew. Now it's "back on track" when compared to the anime; however, changes to the timeline have been made so things are going to start getting way off the familiar track.

So please, just bare with it for a little while longer.


	28. Season 2, Chapter 6

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

Just outside the northern city limits of Kuoh, Xenovia and Irina silently crept through a dark and foreboding forest. The trees were old, covered with moss, and so thick it blotted out the moon. The ground was blanketed with a fog that hovered over the forest floor and hid the gnarly roots that threatened to trip them. The pair of exorcists continued onward, hardening their hearts against the eerie silence that permeated the area, leaving them only with the sound of their internal doubts.

"Xenovia..." Irina whispered, her soft voice breaking the absolute stillness as if she had shouted the word out loud. "I thought this was suppose to be a cemetery."

"You're the local." Xenovia breathed back, careful so as not to make too much noise. "Aren't you suppose to be the expert?"

"I was just a kid at the time..." Irina defended with a murmur. "I never went this far away from my old house, and certainly not to a creepy place like this. Do you think those devils were playing a trick on us?"

"I wouldn't put it past any devil to try and trick us." Xenovia distrustfully muttered, "But that magician. You saw what happened. He's a natural Holy Sword wielder like me, and even I never had a reaction as strong as that. I refuse to believe someone like that could lie to us."

"We'll have to tell the Church about him after we've finished our mission." Irina said, clasping her hands in prayer. "We have to save his soul from those devils."

"Shh..." Xenovia hushed her companion as the fog lifted and revealed a clearing within the brush.

There before them were a series of graves, hundreds of years old. The names on the moss covered stones had worn off over time, and the small dilapidated Shinto temple in the center was a testament that this area had not only been abandoned but forgotten as well.

" _This must be the place."_ Xenovia reasoned as the pair stealthily made their way through, looking for anything that might reveal the location of the Excalibur Fragment.

"Do… do you think it's buried in one of these graves?" Irina worriedly asked. "I don't think I could desecrate a grave, let alone in a place like this. It might be haunted."

"I doubt it." Xenovia said, taking a look around. "The ground doesn't seem to be disturbed."

The wind picked and up blew all around them, rustling the branches and leaves. Suddenly a random headstone inexplicably toppled over; the sound bounced off the trees and echoed out all around them.

"We're not alone." Irina commented, taking out Excalibur Mimic and preparing herself. "I guess it makes only sense that they left someone here to guard it."

"Good." Xenovia replied with a grin. "We won't have to find it on our own. Let's go find our host and get him to tell us where the Fragment is."

Irina gave Xenovia a confident smile. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

In the eastern side of Kuoh, near one of the more high-end apartment buildings, five teenagers were gathered around a park table underneath a street lamp. To the casual passerby, the group looked like a couple of typical teenagers who were simply gossiping during the final few hours before curfew began. In reality, Ambrose, Sona, and three members of her peerage were in the middle of finalizing their plan.

"Reya, Momo, and I will form a perimeter around Kokabiel's apartment and try to isolate it from the rest of the building." Sona said, addressing her two **[Bishops]**.

"Tsubasa, you'll be with me." Ambrose told the **[Rook]**. "You and I will breech the front door and try to take him out. I'm immune to Holy Energy, so stay behind me when we enter."

["We'll need to question him about who else is involved in his plot to restart the war."] Serafall spoke to the group over the shared com-link. ["I want you five to try to capture him alive so we can interrogate him."]

"Taking him alive is too risky. There are a lot of innocent people in the neighboring apartments." Ambrose replied to the Maō. "I say we go in, kill him and interrogate his ghost later."

Sona and her peerage blinked in surprise at Ambrose's defiance, though none of them could fault his reasoning.

Serafall was silent for a moment before reluctantly giving her consent. ["You're right, Am-chan. You won't have any back up since I have to stay here in order to coordinate with Tsubaki-chan's group. Use whatever force is necessary."]

"Acknowledged." Sona replied before addressing her two **[Bishops]**. "Head to the back of the building. On my signal, fly up to the seventh floor and spread out to each side of the balcony while I go to the front door. This will put the three of us in a triangle formation, which will help create a stronger barrier since we lack numbers. However, the downside is that if one of us falls then the entire barrier will collapse. No matter what, we must keep that barrier up."

"Understood Kaichō, we'll get into position now and wait for your command." Momo replied, as she and Reya ran off into the night.

The tension in the air was almost palpable as Sona, Ambrose, and Tsubasa entered the building and raced up the stairs. Sona was pleased that training her peerage was already paying off. Tsubasa had already been athletic to begin with, but with all their additional training, the **[Rook]** wasn't even phased by the swift climb. Ambrose was currently in the lead, leaping up several stairs at a time as the other two devils fought to keep up. By the time they made it to the seventh floor, he was already waiting outside the door.

"We made it to the door." Sona said over the com-link, addressing her two **[Bishops]**. "Are you two in position?"

"We're ready." Reya courageously replied.

"Fly up to the seventh floor and start creating the barrier." Sona ordered, preparing herself for what's about to come.

"Second floor…. Fourth Floor." Momo commented over the comm as she and her fellow **[Bishop]** rose through the air. "Seventh Floor. Barrier creation in... three."

Ambrose took a deep breath as Tsubasa braced against the wall, readying herself.

"Two..." Reya continued the count down as she powered up.

Slowly, Ambrose exhaled as his eyes became determined and resolute.

"One." Sona finished, putting her own magic into the barrier, finishing the spell. "Barrier up. Breach the door!"

" **[Forbidden Balor View]"** Ambrose whispered as Time itself stopped.

There was no noise, no movement, the entire would was absolutely still. While everyone was still frozen in time and with the barrier firmly in place, Ambrose quickly turned and kicked down the door before rushing inside. Everything remained fixed and unmoving as he ran down the hallway and into the living room, where he found the petrified form of a man who held a cell phone to his ear.

" _Kokabiel."_ Ambrose thought as he quickly took in the appearance of the Fallen Angel. He was dressed in a gray yukata and had dark hair with blonde bangs and a goatee. Realizing he could end this in one blow, Ambrose summoned a single blade from the **[Master Key]** and attacked, intending to lop the Fallen Angel's head off to prevent the start of a new war and change history.

As his blade swung forward, Ambrose's eyes widen in surprise as he suddenly noticed something odd. _"Did he just move?"_ Ambrose blinked in surprise as his opponent's eyes unexpectedly turn towards him. _"He's breaking free from the spell!"_

While playing with time was a favorite hobby of the alchemist, it was his first time using the **[Forbidden Balor View]** in a combat situation. The surprise of his opponent breaking free from the spell caused Ambrose's concentration to lapsed. The spell was suddenly broken and everything began to move normally again. A ripple of time dilation went through the apartment, creating a sensation of vertigo and the Fallen Angel dizzily collapsed to his knees. Unfortunately, Ambrose's strike missed; it sailed over the Grigori's head only managing to shave off a good portion of his hair.

As the ass hit the ground, the Fallen Angel's eyes widened in surprise as he realized he was nearly assassinated.

"What the fuck?" Azazel yelled out in surprise.

Ambrose never gave him the chance to fully recover and swiftly kicked him in the side, knocking Fallen Angel into the far wall.

"Tsubasa! Rocket Punch!" He ordered with a shout.

Blinking in surprise that Ambrose was suddenly in the apartment, Tsubasa turned into the door and blindly threw a pressurized air punch. The loud sound of a cannon blast echoed through the apartment as a magical fist tore down the hallway, shattering the walls and ceiling in its wake.

Despite the power behind the punch, it proved to be nothing more than a distraction to the Fallen Angel who took the blow head on and quickly shook it off. Turning his attention to where the blast came from, the Grigori saw a young blue haired devil standing defiantly before him, despite her shaky legs.

" _Probably a_ _ **[Rook]**_ _."_ The Azazel thought as he made his way down the ruined hallway. _"There's my way out._ _I gotta get out of here before this turns into a bigger mess._ _"_

Unfortunately, his egress was halted due to a rod of light embedding itself in the wall in front of him, barely an inch from his nose.

" _ **[Sword Birth].** " _Ambrose thought as dozens of identical light rods burst out from the wall.

Azazel let out a piercing scream as one of the rods ran across his face, taking out his left eye. He instinctively tried to move away to protect himself, but a searing pain from his left side halted any further movement. Looking down at his side, he saw one the blades managed to completely pierced his left shoulder, pinning him to the wall.

Reaching out with his right hand, he attempted to grab the rod of Holy Light and free himself only for his hand begin to burn and sizzle on contact.

"Damn It!" He painfully cried out as he looked at his charred palm with his remaining eye.

Ambrose left him no time to recover and charged the wounded Grigori, slamming his body against the wall before grabbing the blade in his shoulder and pulling it free. The young devil let out a monstrous yell as he took aim and thrust the blade forward, intending to pierce the Fallen Angel's skull.

" _This kid's really trying to kill me!"_ The Fallen Angel shockingly realized, feeling both terrified and thrilled at the same time.

"Not today kid!" Azazel shouted as he rushed his opponent.

The Fallen Angel reached out and grabbed the young devil by the wrists before spreading his twelve black wings to launch himself and Sirzechs' son forward, slamming the red head against the opposite wall. Azazel continued to press his advantage, pinning the Ambrose's wrists against his chest and lifting him up against the wall, immobilizing him.

"Kid, listen to me!" Azazel shouted, trying to reason with him.

But any further words died in his throat as the young devil began to over power him.

" _Seriously?"_ The Grigori thought as he struggled to match his own strength against the teenager's, trying to keep the kid subdued. His eyes widened in horror as his own two arms were slowly spread further and further apart, despite his best efforts to stop him. Suddenly, the temperature of the entire room began to plummet as frost began to coat the walls. _"How the fuck is this kid so strong?!"_

" _ **[Boost]** "_ Ambrose silently thought as his body became engulfed with an aura akin to the Power of Destruction. The temperature in the room suddenly took another steep dive, growing colder and colder as a block of ice began forming around the Fallen Angel's forearms. _" **[Boost]** "_

With a mighty yell, Ambrose slammed his head forward, headbutting the Fallen Angel creating a shock wave of destructive power which sent the Grigori reeling back from the blow. Landing on his feet, Ambrose sent a mighty punch laced with the Power of Destruction that blasted Azazel through the wall and crashing against the magical field.

"Kaichō!" Momo shouted as the entire barrier shook in response from that last attack.

"Hold the barrier!" Sona shouted to her **[Bishops]** , as the three of them struggled against the tremors.

"Damn it!" The Grigori leader cursed as he swiped the blood out of his one remaining eye away.

Turning to his opponent, Azazel's eyes widened in horror as he saw the kid in the middle of a downward swing with that insanely powerful Holy rod of his. Quickly summoning his strength, he created a light spear in his right hand and raised it above his head to block the oncoming attack.

As the two light weapons struck one another, the Fallen Angel's eye widened in terror as he witnessed his own spear completely shatter upon contact. The young devil's swing didn't even slow down as it powered through Azazel's ruined weapon and headed straight for his head. As shards of light from his broken spear rained down upon him, Azazel instinctively brought his frozen arms over his head in order to protect himself.

The sound of breaking glass rang out through the room, and the Fallen Angel watched in horror as his frozen left arm fell heavily onto the floor.

" _Fuck This!"_ The Grigori leader franticly thought as he gazed fell to the frozen stump where his arm once was.

Fighting through the pain, Azazel gathered his strength and sent out a massive holy blast towards the rear balcony. An explosion of glass and concrete showered against the two **[Bishops]** outside who screamed as they fell down to the ground. The barrier quickly dropped without their presence, allowing the Fallen Angel to hastily take off towards the sky.

"Damn it, he's getting away!" Ambrose yelled as he watched the wing figure fly away.

"Am-chan!" Sona shouted, entering the apartment along with Tsubasa. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Ambrose growled out before speaking into the comm. "Momo, Reya, are you two there?"

"I'm a little bruised from the fall, but I'll manage." Reya groaned as she helped her fellow **[Bishop]** up.

"I'm going to feel that in the morning." Momo complained, rubbing her sore butt.

"Are you two still good to fight?" Sona worriedly asked her peerage over the com-link.

"Yeah, we're good to go." Momo resolutely answered her **[King]**.

"Good." Ambrose replied as he pressed his comm closer to his ear. "Levi-tan, we have a rooster who's flown the coop. Can you tell us where he's going?"

["Give me a moment, I'm giving directions to Tsubaki."] The Maō replied, going silent for a few seconds before answering. ["Right, I see your target Am-chan. Start heading west."]

* * *

Hiding among the thickets near one of Kuoh's abandoned buildings, Tsubasa silently whispered in her comm as she surveyed the area. "Anyone have eyes on the target?"

"I do." Koneko softly answered over the link. "He's at an abandoned building where we once took care of a stray devil with Ambrose-senpai."

"He was probably drawn here by the residual demonic energy." Tomoe deduced over the communication line. "He's hunting us."

"He's about to find out that he's the one being hunted." Tsubaki confidently said. "Spread out and keep hidden. Tomoe, I want you to use your speed to draw him out. Yuuto… Yuuto?!"

"Hey, Kiba! Come back!" Issei shouted over the com-line at the **[Knight]** , who left his hiding place and began striding towards the abandoned building.

"Yuuto-senpai." Koneko called out to her fellow peerage member.

Yuuto ignored his teammates call for caution as he continued to approach the abandoned building, taking one confident step after another. "If he's hunting us then it's no use trying to draw him out. He'll attack us as soon as we approach."

"Damn it, Yuuto." Tsubaki said, cursing the stray devil. "Break cover and follow him, but whatever you do don't group up close together. We don't want to create a target for those holy grenades of his. Tomoe, see if you can cover Yuuto."

"Hai, Fuku-Kaichō." Tomoe answered as she rushed to Yuuto's side.

"Saji, you're with me. The rest of you, spread out behind me." Tsubaki ordered as the group fell into a loose formation.

"This is nuts." Issei complained as he took in the sight of the dark abandoned building. "Why does this place give me the chills?"

"Look, up there!" Koneko warned as a figure jumped off the highest point of the building with a yell, swinging his blade down towards the ground towards the stray **[Knight]**.

Yuuto, using his **[Sword Birth]** , summoned a sword to block the rogue exorcist's strike. The two clashed for a moment, with the exorcist hanging in mid air as he continued to press his blade against Kibs's. Tomoe quickly interrupted the clash of swords, and attempted to cleave the exorcist in two with her katana.

Leveraging himself against Yuuto's blade, the stray exorcists managed to complete an impressive back flip, evading Tomoe's strike before landing at the top of the stairs.

"Hey, how you devils doing tonight?" The man spoke up with a deranged voice, turning to address Kiba. "Nice seeing you again Mr. Devil. Looks like you brought your friends along for the ride this time."

"You!" Yuuto growled out as he practically spat the exorcists name. "Freed Sellzen."

"Yep, that's me! Freed Sellzen." The rogue exorcist replied in an excited yet psychotic way. "Exorcist extraordinaire, here to send you devils straight to hell."

"But aren't devils from hell?" Issei asked in bewilderment. "Doesn't that mean you're simply going to send us home?"

"SHUT UP!" Freed hysterically yelled. "You shitty devils don't get to ruin my super awesome introduction! Show some respect, damn it!"

"This guy's nuts." Saji observed with a whisper.

"You're damn right I'm crazy; crazy about killin' devils!" Freed excitedly yelled back before his voice unexpectedly took on a somber tone. "You have no idea of the struggles I went through. I came here a month ago hoping to kill some of you shitty demons, but what do I get? Some jumped up magician who had to spoil all my fun!" He angrily finished, before his voice grew excited once more. "But now, after searching this city for some fresh devil meat I find a veritable smorgasbord!"

"Be careful you two." Tsubaki warned the two **[Knights]**. "That's definitely the Excalibur Fragment we've been searching for."

"Oh, you've been looking for me?" Freed asked as he hungrily ran his tongue up his blade. "Six versus one. It's so tough being popular."

"Don't flatter yourself." Yuuto angrily shouted as he drew his blade. "I'm your only opponent tonight."

"Damn it, Kiba!" Tsubaki yelled as the Gremory **[Knight]** broke from formation, rushing to meet his opponent.

The two quickly traded a few blows before their blades locked against one another, sending sparks flying as they pushed against each other. Kiba grunted, realizing he made a mistake as he strained against the Holy energy that emitted from the bright sparks that now blinded his vision.

"It makes no difference how many devils I gotta fight." Freed cheered as he continued to press his sword against Yuuto's blade. "With my lovely Excalibur-chan, I can slay as many devils as I want."

"You asked for it." Tsubaki sharply replied. "Tomoe!"

"Hai, Fuku-Kaichō!" Tomoe said as she rushed into battle so quickly she practically disappeared in an instant.

"Where did she go?" Issei wondered, looking around in confusion.

"There." Koneko said, pointing at Tomoe who appeared behind Freed ready to deliver a fatal blow with her katana.

Freed quickly disengaged from Kiba, somersaulting over the Gremory **[Knight]** in order to dodge Tomoe's attack so he could move to higher ground. "Thanks for the heads up, devil midget!"

"Devil midget..?" Koneko repeated, her eyes narrowing in anger at the rogue exorcist.

Tomoe was unfazed by Freed's sudden departure. As she fell towards where Freed once stood, her foot landed firmly on the flat of Yuuto's sword before launching herself up to meet her opponent.

"Aren't you a tasty little devil." Freed gleefully shouted at the Sitri **[Knight]** , giving her a lecherous look. "I think I'll have some fun with that body of yours after you're dead."

Tomoe narrowed her eyes in determination, but refused to rise to the exorcist's bait and continued to press her attack.

"Whoa, Kaichō's peerage is good." Issei observed as he watched Tomoe suddenly appear to the side of the exorcist. "This is just like Drag-so-ball. I can't even keep up with her movements."

"Hai, they've been training non-stop for awhile now." Koneko said, as her eyes darted back and forth, keeping up with the fight.

"Don't think you can ignore me!" Yuuto shouted as he too utilized his **[Knight's]** speed in order to join the fight.

The three duelers began a flurry of attacks, appearing and disappearing faster than Issei could keep up with. The only way he could track them was the sound of their swords clashing against each other and the sparks they created when they met. Even then, by the time his eyes drifted towards the bright lights and loud sounds, the individual was already gone.

"How do you like my speed burst?" Freed gloated as he continued to evade the **[Knights]** dual attack. "With three Excalibur Fragments forged into a single blade, I am invincible!"

" _Did he just say three Fragments?"_ Tsubaki asked her self, her eyes growing wide in surprise. _"But if this sword is made up of all three Excalibur Fragments, then what are the other two groups doing?"_

* * *

" _I always hated hide and seek."_ Xenovia thought as she and Irina continued to chase the stray noises that lead them around the ancient cemetery.

She preferred a straight up fight, one where her opponent faced her in honorable combat; but this foe was proving far more evasive than she had originally suspected.

"Should we split up?" Irina asked, turning to her left in response to another sound.

"That's just what he wants." Xenovia replied, pressing her back to her friend's so they could reduce their blind spots. "He wants us separated so he can take us out individually."

"I could always take you two out at the same time." A voice from the fog spoke up. "But that would be boring. It's been so long since I've had any sort of fun."

A large figure dressed in a black robe appeared in the mist. He had long black hair and bright red eyes that glowed in excitement he gave the exorcist malevolent look.

"Kokabiel." Xenovia hissed as she and Irina readied their blades.

"I had hoped Michael would send someone worthwhile to face me after I stole the Excalibur Fragments." Kokabeil spoke up as he continued to fearlessly approach the pair. "I was so disappointed when he sent two lowly members of the church on a hopeless quest. Imagine my surprise when you two actually managed to find me. I hope you two continue to be entertaining as I slowly kill you both."

" _This is bad."_ Xenovia thought, though she quickly buried her fears. "Kokabiel, for stealing from the Church and your crimes against the One True God, we are here to deliver your punishment. Death."

"Well then, children of God." Kokabiel waved them forward with a chuckle and delighted smile before spreading his ten black wings. "Come forward and don't keep me waiting."

With a shout, the two exorcists charged at the Fallen Angel, intending to strike him down once and for all.

" _This thing defiled the Church."_ Xenovia thought as she swung her blade at Kokabiel. _"His very existence is sacrilegious."_

Using coordinated strikes, honed from a lifetime of practice within the church walls, the two exorcists soon had the Fallen Angel on the defensive. However, no matter how fast they attacked, no matter how they attempted to move around and ambush him from his blind side, they failed to land a single blow. Kokabiel moved like air, anticipating and evading their most well aimed strikes. Whenever they struck, he was simply not there.

Suddenly, the Fallen Angel summoned a light spear and counterattacked, blocking Xenovia's latest strike and sent her flying towards Irina. The pair landed in an undignified heap and they quickly scrambled to their feet.

"How disappointing." Kokabiel commented, frowning at the two exorcists. "The two of you finding me was quite the surprise. I had hoped you would prove to be more entertaining than this. I suppose you only have Heaven and the Church to blame for what happens next, they should have sent more worthy warriors to face me."

"God wouldn't have sent us if we weren't able to defeat you." Xenovia heatedly replied. "A betrayer to His will wouldn't understand."

"Well then, perhaps I know how you can entertain me after all." Kokabiel cruelly laughed in response. "Allow me the honor to test your faith, and as the light leaves your eyes and you find yourself at Heaven's gate, please be sure to ask why God let you die. I believe you'll find the answer quite enlightening."

* * *

" _I'm in deep shit now."_ Azazel thought as he quickly ducked inside a local sake bar.

Normally he enjoyed a good drink, especially in the company of a good woman. Unfortunately, due to his wounds he feared his days of chasing skirts might be over. _"Along with the rest of the days of my life. What the fuck is with that kid? A young devil like that shouldn't be able to harm me. I heard the rumors that he could use Holy Power, but damn!"_

Azazel had fought in a number of wars over the millennia. He even faced off against the original Lucifer once and managed to get away without a scratch.

" _But now some punk kid manages to take my eye and my left hand."_ Azazel complained as he took note of the damage done to him. He could replace his hand with one of his inventions, but replacing an eye was another matter entirely.

Taking a peek out of the window of the bar with his one good eye, he quickly spotted one of his pursuers and ducked back down so as not to be seen. _"Damn it, I was sure I lost them."_

He carefully rose again so he could watch the devils combing the area. He noticed one of the girls walk back and forth down the street as others checked the alleyway. _"Good thing they're all minors, the bars won't let them in."_

Looking down the street he found the Son of Lucifer, who was interviewing a bouncer in an attempt to find his hidden target. As a Fallen Angel, Azazel held a certain immunity towards Holy Magic. Wielding Holy magic made the kid an anomaly, but the fact that he could damage him so severely left the expert in **[Sacred Gears]** feeling quite astounded. _"Something's not right with that. The Sephiroth Graal isn't an offensive weapon. It shouldn't be capable of hurting anyone, let alon_ _e someone like me_ _who can wield Holy power."_

Reaching into a pocket inside his yukata, Azazel pull out a cell phone he normally used to contact the gullible **[Pawn]** of the Gremory peerage; however, this time he planned on calling an entirely different dragon.

["Yeah?"] A bored voice answered after a couple of rings.

"Hey Vali, it's me. I need your help." Azazel quickly snapped.

Vali snickered loudly back before answering. "What, the little devil kids giving you trouble?"

"Look, you can make fun of me for getting my ass kicked after you rescued me." Azazel snapped back, "Right now I need your help getting extracted. These kids are trying to kill me and I'm wounded pretty badly."

Vali let out an annoyed huff, and Azazel could just imagine the eye roll that went along with it.

"Fine. I'll be in your area in a bit." Vali petulantly replied before the line was disconnected.

" _Punk kid, but at least I'm able to get out of here. Now all I need to do is sneak past these devils…"_

Azazel's thoughts halted when he noticed the devils were beginning to congregate closer and closer to his current location. _"How the hell are they getting so close? They shouldn't have been able to follow me! They should have moved on by now!"_

Knowing they would eventually discover him if continued to hang around here, he quickly ducked towards the back of the bar and into an alleyway.

Walking down the street, Sona was turned away in disgust from another indecent proposal from a group of salary men. "No sign of the target yet. To be honest, I didn't get a good look at him."

"Just look for the guy missing an arm and an eye." Ambrose replied over the comm. "Can't be that hard to find."

"Easy for you to say." Momo grumbled back, "You're not the one being mistaken for a prostitute by these drunken losers."

"He could be hiding his wounds." Reya replied as she continued to look down the alleys between the bars. "What's he look like?"

"Tall and wearing a yukata; short dark hair with blond bangs and a goatee." Ambrose replied to the question.

["What did you say?"] Serafall's voice frantically spoke up. ["Did you say blonde bangs with a goatee?"]

"Yes, why?" Ambrose inquired, wondering why the Maō sounded so distraught.

["That's not Kokabiel..."] Serafall's hesitant voice replied over the comm. ["That sounds like Azazel."]

"Azazel?" Sona asked in surprise, stunned that the Grigori leader might be present. "Do you think he's helping Kokabiel?"

["Not likely."] Serafall replied over the comm. ["Azazel is very unpredictable, but he's always been reliable in his call for peace. I doubt he's aiding Kokabiel with this mess."]

"Then why is he here, Levi-tan?" Ambrose asked. "I'm assuming since you were unaware of his presence that he didn't have permission to enter Kuoh."

["No, he's probably trying to secretly observe the situation."] Serafall anxiously admitted. ["He asked for permission, but we denied him. He shouldn't be here."]

"Are you certain he's not involved?" Sona asked her sister. "The Fallen Angel Raynare said that her orders were passed down from him."

Serafall grew silent for awhile as the group restlessly awaited her response. ["Bring him in, alive. If we kill the leader of the Grigori, even in response to this attack, it'll be seen as an act of war."]

"And if he continues to resist?" Ambrose asked, surprised by the Maō's orders.

["I'm authorizing you two to arrest him, but it's important that he's not harmed any further."] Serafall spoke after a moment. ["Lethal force is no longer authorized."]

" _Why the sudden change in stance?"_ Ambrose thought with a frown, resolving to get at the heart of the matter.

["His signal is moving"] Serafall spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. ["Converge on his position."]

" _Damn it."_ Azazel thought as the group started to move towards his direction. Pulling out one of his many inventions, Azazel took a scan of the area. _"These kids are following me, but how? I doubt Sirzechs' boy managed to put a tracker on me."_

Looking down at his scanner, Azazel's eyes went wide as the results came in. _"Shit, the whole city is under_ _surveillance._ _Not a bad plan kid, but I'm not going to let you report my presence to your dad."_

Breaking away from his hiding spot, Azazel continued to track the signal of his device, hoping to find one of the sensors and create a blind spot to disable it.

["He's heading south east."] Serafall shouted over the comm. ["He's moving fast, so he might be on the rooftops."]

"Let's go." Sona shouted, as the group headed down an alleyway before leaping to the roofs.

Jumping up on top of the nearest building from the alley, the group soon spotted the Fallen Angel making a break towards the south.

"There he is." Momo shouted, pointing towards the retreating form.

"After him." Ambrose shouted as he raced after his target. "Don't let him get away."

The party of devils quickly gave chase, eager to catch up and desperate for answers.

" _Why is the leader of the Grigori in Kuoh? Why did he defy the Devil mandate and trespass into their territory?"_ Ambrose privately wondered as he raced across the rooftops. _"Why is Levi-tan defending him? And why does this area look so familiar?"_

Ambrose's eyes widened in realization and he shouted to the group. "He's heading for the magical sensor!"

A sense of urgency quickly took hold as the devils renewed their chase, desperate to catch up to the intruder. Whether or not Azazel would come quietly was now a moot point.

["What's going on?"] Serafall frantically shouted over the comm.

"Azazel is going for one of the sensor nodes. If he disables it he could create a blind spot on the map." Ambrose answered. "Or worse, take the entire grid down, making the map useless."

["Stop him!"] The Maō ordered as the group rushed to catch up.

Despite the fact that the Fallen Angel was wounded, Azazel was deceptively fast. Ambrose considered using the **[Forbidden Balor View]** again, but if the Grigori leader could break free the spell again then all Ambrose would accomplish is putting more distance between Azazel and the Sitri peerage, who would have been left stuck in time.

Unfortunately, by the time Ambrose had caught up with the leader of the Fallen Angels he was crouched over the nearest sensor.

"Azazel, Stop!' Ambrose shouted out, as he rushed to tackle the troublesome Grigori.

Azazel turned and gave Ambrose an insulting grin before jamming a device inside the sensor. Ambrose didn't know what Azazel's device was meant for, but the results were catastrophic. A magical backlash, similar to an EMP, erupted from the roof top, cutting all the power within a 15 block radius. Sona and her peerage finally caught up; however, the sudden blackout caused them to look around, completely stunned.

"Better luck next time, kid." Azazel triumphant shouted before he sprouted his twelve wings and took off in the air. _"Now, to get to a safe house and get patched up…."_

His thoughts were interrupted when he unexpectedly felt an iron grip on his ankle. Looking down, Azazel was speechless to see the son of Lucifer defiantly holding on.

"You're not going anywhere!" Ambrose angrily shouted before throwing Azazel back down on the ground by his ankle.

The Fallen Angel was launched towards a park a few blocks away, impacting with enough force to create a crater causing car alarms to start blaring in the distance.

As Azazel struggled to catch his breath, he wondered how long it had been since someone had knocked the wind out of him.

" _Fuck, I just can't seem to catch a break."_ The Fallen Angel sourly thought as he rolled over and struggled to get to his feet.

"Quick, reapply the barrier." Ambrose ordered the other devils as he landed and boldly stood before the Grigori Leader. "Azazel, in the name of Maō Leviathan, I'm placing you under arrest."

Suddenly, a figure wearing a white armored scale-mail crashed in front of the group, directly behind Azazel.

"Took you long enough." Azazel grunted out as Vali lifted him into his arms.

"I can't believe you let them get the better of you." Vali derisively said to the Fallen Angel before looking at Ambrose. "But it seems there's someone here worth fighting. You really are a Dragon Slayer, aren't you? I can feel it in my bones." He excitedly finished.

"Not now!" Azazel shouted to the armored figure. "Get me the hell out of here."

"Wait!" Ambrose uselessly shouted, but it was no use.

The White Dragon Emperor spread his white and blue wings before launching up to the sky, quickly disappearing from view.

"Damn it." Ambrose angrily shouted in frustration before pressing the comm to his ear. "Levi-tan, Azazel's escaped."

There was no reply.

"Leviathan?" Ambrose called out. "Levi-tan, do you hear me?"

"It was that magical shock-wave." Sona spoke up, as she looked around the darkened area. "It knocked our comms offline."

"Shit." Ambrose huffed in annoyance as he considered the situation. "Go find your peerage, make sure they're okay. I'll stop by the house and let her know we're alright. I should probably check on the exorcists from the Church as well.."

"Right." Sona said, pulling out a Sitri flier in order to locate them. "Tsubaki and the others are southwest from here. We'll reconvene there once you've gathered the exorcists so we can plan our counter attack."

"Stay safe." Ambrose said before he teleported away.

* * *

"Whoa, look at Kiba go!" Issei excitedly shouted. "But Freed is able to keep up with them both. Their **[Knight's]** speed isn't giving them any advantage.

Tsubaki felt that Hyoudou was a bit too boisterous, given the situation.

 _"This isn't some crappy anime, this is a life in death situation."_ Tsubaki angrily thought, though she kept her eyes on the fight, patiently waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Saji… wait for it." Tsubaki spoke to the **[Pawn]** , watching the two **[Knights]** clash with the rogue exorcist. "NOW!"

"Hai, Fuku-Kaichō." Saji replied, summoning his **[Sacred Gear]** while still tracking the fight.

A miniature black lizard soon appeared on his wrist, and Saji wasted no time. As he pointed his fist at the rogue exorcist, the lizard opened his mouth and a tongue darted out and wrapped itself around Freed's leg.

"What the?" The exorcist asked in bewilderment.

"Got you!" Saji shouted as he gave the line a mighty tug.

"Hey!" Freed alarmingly shouted as he was soon dragged off his feet and found himself being swung around in circles.

"Hyoudou, charge your **[Boosted Gear]**." Tsubaki ordered as she watched the battle unfold.

"Oh.. right." Issei said, summoning his gauntlet. **[BOOST]**.

"How do you like this?" Saji shouted at the rogue exorcist as he continued to spin him round and round. "Koneko, you're up!"

"Roger." Koneko replied as Saji let the line go, launching Freed straight for the petite devil. "Punch!"

Freed was rocketed back towards the abandoned building, his body going limp like a rag doll as it crashed into one of the support columns of the building.

"Hyoudou, now!" Tsubaki shouted, signaling for the **[Pawn]** to make his move.

"Right." Issei replied, narrowing his eyes at the target. " **[Dragon Shot]!** "

"Not so fast!" Freed shouted out as he swung his blade towards the approaching bright green projectile, launching it back towards Issei.

"Shit!" Issei shouted, bracing himself for the pain when suddenly he heard the unexpected voice of the school's Fuku-Kaichō.

" **[Mirror Alice]** " Tsubaki shouted, creating a full length body mirror that quickly absorbed the green energy. The mirror then glowed for a moment, before the absorbed energy was violently reflected back towards Freed at twice the strength it was originally sent at.

The beam rocketed towards Freed, who held the Excalibur Fragment ahead of him and braced against the oncoming force.

"What the fuck us up with you shitty devils!" Freed shouted in fear.

The extra power granted by **[Mirror Alice]** completely overwhelmed the rogue exorcist, engulfing him with the green energy of the **[Boosted Gear]**. Any further sound Freed made was drowned out by the roaring beam of light as it sped through the place where he once stood. Once the attack was finished, only a smoking ditch remained.

"That was awesome!" Issei exclaimed in excitement. "I didn't know you had **[Sacred Gear]** too, Fuku-Kaichō."

"It's not over." Tsubaki stated, as she summoned her naginata and held it at the ready.

From the rising smoke, a slow chuckle slowly grew louder and louder until it became a full maniacal laughter. The dust began to settle, and the devils could finally see their opponent again. Freed was in bad shape, his clothes were burnt and ruined, his left arm hung limply at his side while his right hand used the Excalibur sword like a crutch in order to relieve pressure from his mangled right leg.

"S-Shitty devils." Freed choked out before he coughed up a mouthful of blood. "You're cheating. There's no way you can defeat this newly forged Excalibur-chan."

"Or maybe you rely too much on that sword of yours to compensate for your lack of skill." Tsubaki retorted, glaring at the rogue exorcist. "Now tell us, where is Kokabiel?"

"Where, indeed?" A voice spoke up, gaining the attention of the group.

Exiting the abandoned building, there stood an old man in a white robe. He gave the group a kind smile as he slowly walked down the stairs. Adjusting his round glasses, he turned to give the group his complete attention.

" **[Mirror Alice]** , capable of reflecting and doubling any damage dealt to it." The old man commented, giving Tsubaki a smile. "Though it takes some time to recharge before you're able to use it again, right?"

Tsubaki stiffened in surprise and held her guard up. _"Who is this man?_ _"_

The old man turned his attention towards Saji. " **[Absorption Line]** , the weakest piece of the Dragon King Vrita. Able to absorb the energy from whomever it connects to."

" _It can do that?"_ Saji wondered, looking at his **[Sacred Gear]** as if he never saw it before.

"Perhaps you should consider searching for the rest of Vrita's pieces to make that **[Sacred Gear]** whole once more. I think you'll be surprised by the results." The old man chuckled in amusement before turning towards Hyoudou. "The Red Dragon Emperor, **[Boosted Gear]**. Capable of repeatedly doubling the owner's power… though with your weak power level, that doesn't amount to much, does it?"

"Just who the hell are you, old man?" Issei angrily shouted out.

The old man ignored him, and simply turned his attention to the remaining **[Sacred Gear]** holder. " **[Sword Birth]** , the ability to create an infinite number of swords with a multitude of various properties. With the right wielder, that **[Sacred Gear]** can become one of the most powerful weapon there is. Isn't that right, Isaiah?"

"Valper Galelei." Yuuto angrily spat out, looking at him with all the rage he carried in his heart.

"Indeed." The old man replied with a smile. "It's been awhile."

"Hey, Old man." Freed shouted out. "A little help here? Your sword isn't doing shit against these devils."

"There's nothing wrong with my work." Valper said, glaring at the rogue exorcists who dared to insult his skill. "The problem lies with the wielder. Simply channel the holy energy from the sword into your body and it will heal you."

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Freed cheered as he focused on the blade. Soon, a bright Holy aura enveloped him, surrounding his body and healing his wounds. His leg straightened out, cuts began to heal, and he even began to look more revitalized than before. Pausing for a moment to check his mended body, Freed let out a triumphant laugh. "You see! I Am Invincible!"

"I think you've had enough fun for now." Valper commented, giving Freed an imposing look.

"Oh, but I was just about to get my revenge on these shitty devils who ruined my clothes." Freed childishly complained with a pout.

"Kokabiel is summoning us." Valper firmly replied. "He has two more Excalibur Fragments. We will add them to your blade."

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Freed happily replied as he jumped down next to the old man.

"You think I'm going to let you get away?" Yuuto shouted as he jumped down to strike the pair. "Die!"

"See you later, shitty devils." Freed said, waving goodbye before he threw an object on the ground.

A bright light burst forth and the devils shielded their eyes. By the time their vision returned the pair had completely disappeared.

"Damn it." Yuuto shouted as he ran off into the woods after them.

"Yuuto!" Koneko shouted, calling out to the **[Knight]**.

"Wait up Kiba!" Issei shouted as he began to chase after him.

"Don't bother." Tsubaki spoke up, blocking Hyoudou's path. "He's gone stray now. We should have known better than to rely on him."

"But..." Issei said, giving her a helpless look. "What are we going to do now?"

"You can start by explaining yourself." A new voice spoke up. "Well, Issei? What do you have to say about all this?"

Turning to the sound, the group witnessed Rias Gremory appearing in a magical circle, along side her **[Queen]**.

Rias crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at the **[Queen]** of Sona Sitri. "And you, Tsubaki. Would you mind explaining what you're doing and why you're ordering my servants around?"

* * *

Sona, Reya, Momo, and Tsubasa appeared at the edge of an abandoned building. There were signs of battle; the scuffling of dirt, a wrecked column, and a small crater lay strewn across the battle field. Suddenly a bright flash illuminated from within the building and a painful cry was heard.

"On your guard." Sona said, warning her peerage as they cautiously approached the building and peeked inside.

"Two Hundred and Twenty Four!" Rias counted with a shout as she continued to spank her **[Pawn]**. "Two Hundred and Twenty Five!"

"Great, this is just what we need." Sona muttered aloud as she pushed the creaky door open and entered the building.

Rias abruptly stopped her punishment as soon as heard the door open; turning she saw Sona enter with the rest of her peerage.

"Well Sona, care to explain all this?" Rias indignant demanded. "Just what the hell is going on?"

Sona ignored Rias for the moment and approached Tsubaki, who was standing to the side with the rest of the Sitri peerage. "Is everyone alright?"

"Hai, Kaichō." Tsubaki replied, though appearing quite shamed. "The Excalibur Fragment you sent us after was forged from all three Fragments. I'm afraid we weren't able to destroy it."

"Sona, I'm talking to you." Rias said, marching up to her in annoyance. "Just what were you thinking? Why are you getting involved with these exorcists?"

"I'm trying to prevent a war." Sona argued back, glaring at her friend. "And trying to do your job as well. What the hell were you thinking when you aloud your **[Knight]** to go stray? You realize he probably would have attacked the exorcists and restarted another war?"

"He would have come back." Rias defensively replied. "And what does Yuuto have anything to do with aiding the exorcists and hunting down the Excalibur Fragments?"

"I had to warn them that Kiba went stray and may go after them." Sona heatedly retorted. "If he went after them then they probably would have killed him."

"Seems you've been doing a lot more than warning them." Rias angrily bit back. "I swore, as Governor, that the devils of Kuoh would not interfere with their mission."

"I had their permission." Sona vehemently explained to her fellow **[King]**. "They knew they couldn't handle this on their own, so they allowed us to try to destroy whatever Fragments we could find."

"So you're cooperating with the Church now?" Rias incredulously asked.

"Not cooperating, competing with them." Sona clarified. "Any Fragment in the exorcist's possession are off limits. All other Fragments are free game."

"Don't try to trick me. I know you've been secretly sending Heaven and the Church information for awhile now." Rias interrupted, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"What?" Sona replied, dumbfounded by the accusation.

"You've been conspiring against me since for weeks." Rias continued to rant. "The exorcists revealed that you were the one who warned Heaven about the theft of the Excalibur Fragments, but you told me they only brought Holy Swords. You also knew that it was Kokabiel who came to Kuoh to attack us, but you failed to mention it to me."

"I tried to!" Sona yelled back. "I tried to tell you the other day, but as soon as you heard 'Holy Swords' **you** left the meeting to check on your **[Pawn]**. You weren't listening then and you aren't listening now."

"How long have you known about all this?" Rias ragingly shouted. "How long have you kept this from me?"

"I discovered the plot along with Am-chan when we interrogated the dead Fallen Angels." Sona revealed. "I took that information to my sister. She's the one who warned Heaven about the theft and she swore me to secrecy about the entire event. I couldn't defy the orders of a Maō, not even for you."

Sona watched as Rias struggled to come to terms with this information.

" _The frustration on her face would almost be funny, if the situation wasn't so dire."_ Sona privately thought as she schooled her features to remain impassive.

Any further conversation was halted when a magical circle appeared, and Ambrose stepped out of it. Taking a looking around the room, he turned to Sona.

"You were taking too long. I was beginning to worry."

"You..." Rias hissed as she spied her nephew, his very presence reigniting her anger. "I told you not to get involved with the exorcists."

"In case you didn't notice, no one is listening to you Old Lady." Ambrose replied, before he frowned when he spied Hyoudou and Koneko who were still on all fours from their punishment. "What the hell are you doing to them?!"

"It's my job as their master and **[King]** to teach them to behave." Rias heatedly explained with a glare. "A lesson I am all too willing to teach you."

" _You did not..."_ Sona thought wide eyed as she realized Rias just threatened the man who crippled the leader of the Fallen Angels earlier today.

Rather than get upset, Ambrose did something totally unexpected.

He laughed.

It wasn't a simple chuckle either, it was a full side-splitting laugh as if he thought her threats were hilarious.

Needless to say, Rias's anger was fully lit. "This Is Not A Laughing Matter!"

"You're right, it's not." Ambrose admitted as his amusement died down. He then gave Rias a very serious look. "But the fact that a spoiled child like you would dare order me is almost comical."

"Don't you patronize me. I'm heiress to the Gremory Clan. I'm Governor of Kuoh. My authority here is absolute and I will not tolerate this disrespect any longer!" Rias furiously yelled. "As a member of my Clan, you..."

"I am not a Gremory!" Ambrose shouted, causing Rias to back up a few steps in surprise. "I don't have to listen to you. And in case you didn't realize it, I'm not the only one. You've got a stray **[Knight]** who would have restarted a war if we hadn't intervened, and two of your other servants went rogue because you failed to act. You should have been the one to reign Kiba in, but now you're punishing them because they're doing your job for you. Don't be surprised when other people take action when you're too busy sitting on your ass."

"What could I have done?" Rias hysterically yelled back. "He's my Kiba! He's my **[Knight]**! I can't kill him!"

"You could have restrained him." Sona spoke up, adding her two cents.

"But then he'd hate me..." Rias muttered in defeat.

"So you did nothing." Sona said out loud, though in her mind she was beginning to see that this was a common trend with Rias. _"She did nothing with Yuuto. She didn't try to restrain him, or seek him out to reason with him. She did nothing with Riser. She didn't train her peerage or actively seek out powerful humans to turn into devils. She did nothing to collect her peerage, she sat back while her brother brought her individuals with potentials. She's never had to make a difficult choice, nor has she had to work in order to earn anything. Am-chan is right, she's useless in this fight against Kokabiel."_

Sona took a good hard look at her childhood friend, as if she were seeing her for the first time. "You truly are a spoiled 'ruined' princess."

Hearing the mockery of her nickname 'Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess', Rias turned and glared at her friend, but Sona had no time for Rias's childish tantrums. She didn't even feel angry any more; the only emotion Sona had left for her childhood friend was pity.

"Come on." Ambrose spoke up, gesturing to the door. "We need to go."

Ambrose and the Sitri peerage turned as one, quietly heading towards the door.

"Wait!" Rias shouted at their retreating form. "You can't leave! I order you not to go!"

Sona was content to simply ignore her for now; she knew Rias was in no state to listen to reason.

Ambrose, however, turned around. But instead of addressing Rias, he spoke to Hyoudou. "Hey Issei, I meant what I said earlier. Standing up for your friends is an admirable trait. Don't let this Old Lady beat that noble quality out of you."

Rias was left completely stunned and speechless. As she silently watched as the Sitri peerage and her nephew disappear, her indignation at their blatant disrespect reached new heights. Her authority had been completely undermined and trampled on. Not only had Ambrose, Sona, and the entire Sitri peerage ignored and disrespected her, but Ambrose's final words ensured that she couldn't properly discipline her wayward servants.

Rias turned to look at Issei. Her **[Pawn]** now stared defiantly at her, ready to take the rest of his punishment with his head high with pride.

" _Damn you Ambrose. Damn you Sona."_ Rias raged inside her mind. _"I won't let you ruin me. I'll show you both. I'll show everyone that I'm a leader. That I am a **[King]**."_

* * *

Another chapter done.

Just to clarify, the single Light Rod of the [ **Master Key]** , is a similar state to that of Issei's **[Twice Critical]**.

The seven light wings is similar to that of the full gauntlet of the **[Boosted Gear]**.

He simply chooses to use the less powerful version, so as not to attract unwanted attention or cause excessive damage to the surroundings.

Meaning, he hasn't reached his balanced breaker yet.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Writing action scenes is a bit different than dialog.

Please read and review.


	29. Season 2, Chapter 7

Disclaimer.

I don't own High School DxD, or any of the other copy right stuff that may be included in this story.

I don't make any money off of it and only write this for my own enjoyment.

If criticism of religion bothers you, please don't read this story. Also, why are you reading DxD, a story which makes heroes out of devils, if criticism of religion bothers you?

* * *

From the top of the stairs Serafall watched Ambrose, Sona and her peerage wearily trudged through the magical portal and into the foyer of the alchemist's hidden home. Their defeat was written clearly on their drained and fatigued faces. Truthfully, Serafall didn't blame any of them for tonight's setbacks, there was no way for any of them to predict Azazel's presence. However, each of them had acted and therefore they all held some responsibility for what had happened, including her.

" _And it'll be my responsibility to clean up this mess."_ Serafall dejectedly thought.

"Oh man, what a crappy night." Saji dismally commented, unaware that he was being observed. "We're going to be in so much trouble when Rias informs the Maōs that we aided the Church."

"We're not going to get in trouble, at least not for helping the exorcists." Sona tiredly informed her **[Pawn]**. "Our mission was sanctioned."

"Really?" Saji asked, his voice taking on a more hopeful tone.

"It was." Serafall spoke up, gaining their attention as she descended the stairs. She carefully schooled her features so as not to appear either angry or pleased with tonight's performance. Pausing a few steps from the ground floor, she used the extra height in order to properly gauge the mood of the group. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yes. Thankfully, we didn't suffer any injuries." Sona answered, sounding relieved that there was some good news.

"When we last spoke, you were trying to apprehend Azazel. From the looks of things, I take it you weren't able to capture him." Serafall observed aloud, taking note of their forlorn faces.

"Azazel?" Tsubaki asked, surprised to hear that the Grigori leader was present.

"When we stormed the apartment, we attacked the Fallen Angel inside. He was injured pretty badly during the fight and tried to flee the scene. It was only later we discovered that it wasn't Kokabiel who was hiding at the apartment building, it was Azazel." Sona informed her **[Queen]** , before answering Serafall's question. "After learning his identity, we tried to capture him so that we could reveal what he was doing in Kuoh; however, Azazel managed to overload one Ambrose's sensors. After a bit of a scuffle, the White Dragon Emperor came and helped facilitate his escape."

"Azazel brought the White Dragon Emperor to Kuoh? Knowing that the Red Dragon Emperor was already living in this city?" Serafall asked in complete disbelief. _"Throwing those two together is practically asking for a disaster. What the hell was Azazel thinking?"_

"So that was the White Dragon Emperor, Vali Lucifer." Ambrose commented in realization.

"Lucifer? As in a descendant of the Original Lucifer?" Tsubaki worriedly asked.

"Vali Lucifer is the half human grandson of Rizevim Lucifer." Ambrose explained to everyone. "It's how he's able to wield **[Sacred Gear]** despite being a devil, though I've never seen a **[Sacred Gear]** that covers the entire body like that."

"He might have unlocked his Balanced Breaker." Serafall thought out loud.

"Balanced Breaker?" Ambrose questioned, having never heard the term before.

"It's an evolved form of the **[Sacred Gear]** that's so powerful it can upset the state of the world." Serafall explained to him. "Not every **[Sacred Gear]** has a Balanced Breaker form, or perhaps not all wielders have taken their [ **Sacred Gears]** far enough to unlock a Balanced Breaker. To be honest, I don't know much about them."

" _I wonder if Am-chan could achieve a Balanced Breaker."_ Serafall suddenly thought, startled by the implications.

"Back to the topic at hand," Ambrose spoke up, continuing his debriefing, "Vali Lucifer is not only the heir to the Lucifer clan, but also a member of the Khaos Brigade. Basically, what we have here is the exiled prince to the throne of the Devil Nation who has ties to a terrorist organization bent on overthrowing the Maōs, and it just so happens that Azazel raised him. It seems to me that the Governor General plans to start a new Celestial War between the factions and use the chaos to take out the Maōs and put his own puppet in charge."

"But that doesn't make any sense." Serafall thought out loud with a frown. "Azazel was the one who ended the last Celestial War and called for peace."

"During last month's skirmish the Fallen Angel, Raynare, personally named Azazel as the individual who gave her orders, though she said that she heard them through Kokabiel." Sona commented, giving Serafall a worried look. "While I can't begin to imagine why Azazel is in Kuoh, you can't deny that he's somehow involved in this."

" _One thing's for certain, Azazel has a lot to answer for."_ Serafall thought, though she refused to show her unease in front of the others. Deciding to drop the matter for now, she turned to Sona's **[Queen]**. "What about you Tsubaki-chan? What happened on your end?"

"We found our target, Freed Sellzen, at an abandoned building. He was exactly as described; unhinged, deranged, and had an intense desire to kill any devil he saw. Thankfully we didn't sustain any injuries during the attack, but we did learn that the three stolen Fragments have been forged into a single Excalibur blade. To say that the blade is very powerful would be an understatement. With it, he was able to completely heal himself from the injuries he suffered so I recommend that anyone who faces him again should kill him quickly; that way he doesn't have the opportunity to recover." Tsubaki paused for a moment, frowning as she continued. "Gremory's peerage performed well enough, except for Kiba. Kiba was obstinate and rebellious; he refused to follow orders and abandoned us when Freed escaped along with Valper Galelei."

"We should have just captured Kiba from the very beginning." Sona complained with an unpleasant look on her face. "He's too much of a wild card."

"Excuse me, did you say Valper is here?" Ambrose spoke up, giving Tsubaki a surprised look. "I hope Kiba finds him and kills him."

"I thought you would want him alive so you could question him." Tsubaki asked in confusion.

"I can interrogate a ghost." Ambrose morbidly replied, "Being dead just means it's easier for me to get answers out of him."

"Why didn't you regroup with the others afterwards?" Serafall asked Sona's **[Queen]** , bringing the conversation back on topic.

"Rias Gremory showed up." Tsubaki sourly answered. "She probably noticed the absence of two more of her servants and went looking for them. When she found us, Rias used her authority as Governor to detaine our group before giving her servants a spanking for misbehaving."

"It's just our luck that she gets involved just as we're trying to clean up her mess." Ambrose added with a frown. "If she had done that with Kiba from the start then it would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"Rias is losing control over her peerage and she's taking her frustrations out on anyone who doesn't follow her orders." Sona continued to elaborate. "She wants to be in charge, but she gets angry when people go looking for leadership in others when she can't provide it."

Serafall hummed in thought as she tried to get a clearer picture of everything that happened. "What about you, Am-chan? What did you discover at the cemetery?"

"I didn't find much." Ambrose answered with a frown as he recalled what he saw. "There were signs that a fight took place, but I couldn't find any clue revealing how it ended. Given the fact that Azazel and the reforged Excalibur blade were at the other locations, I think it's safe to assume that we unwittingly sent the exorcists straight to Kokabiel. I can't say for certain where they are now, but it doesn't look good for them."

"Valper said that Kokabiel was recalling both him and Freed because he acquired two more Excalibur Fragments." Tsubaki sadly explained. "While I don't know if they're alive or dead, they've clearly been captured."

" _Damn it, this is a catastrophe."_ Serafall thought in frustration as she continued the debriefing. "I think it's safe to assume that the exorcists are either captured or killed. Thanks to Azazel's actions, the map is completely useless and we're unable to track any magical signatures. Finding them may prove to be impossible."

"I'll see if I can summon their ghosts." Ambrose grimly offered.

"Thank you, that would help." Serafall admitted before addressing the group once more. "The presence of Azazel makes this a political issue now. His unlawful entry into Kuoh is a violation of the ceasefire agreement, and it's very likely this may result in another war. With that in mind, I'm evacuating all devils currently living in the city. We're returning to the Underworld."

She paused for a moment, looking at the young devils as the situation completely sunk in. Some of the devils like Tsubasa, Tomoe, Saji, and Ruruko had family here on Earth. They were now beginning to realize severity of their plight and that they'll have to leave their family behind. Momo and Reya both came from a family of magicians, and therefore always knew this was a possibility. While the move would change things for the two **[Bishops]** , their family at least had a foot in the door to the Underworld. Tsubaki, however, had been disowned from her family after she became a devil. The Sitri Clan was her family now, and she had no where else to go.

Serafall then turned to her sister and host. "Am-chan, I'd hate to impose on your hospitality further, but would it be alright if Sona's peerage stayed the night here? Given the situation, I think it would be safest for everyone."

The alchemist simply answered her with a sad nod.

"Thank you." Serafall gratefully replied before addressing both him and her sister. "If you two would come with me, there's a few more things we need to discuss."

Serafall watched as the rest of Sona's peerage gave the pair pitying looks as they passed by. She had no doubt the two believed they were in trouble; however, she was reluctant to relieve them of their culpability.

" _The sad truth is that they performed their tasks better than I could have hoped for, yet their mission still ended in failure."_ Serafall sadly thought as she beckoned them to follow her up the stairs. _"It seems that we can't plan for everything, even if we know the future. They need this time to reflect on everything that's happened so they can learn from their mistakes and do better next time."_

Serafall continued to lead them down the hall, past the television room before Sona spoke up, addressing her.

"Onee-sama. If I may, I believe we can still stop Kokabiel and destroy the Excalibur Fragments." Sona petitioned, hoping trying to convince her to change her mind.

Serafall abruptly stopped before turning to look at the pair. "Go on."

"Am-chan has spent a lot of time extensively training me in Oasis, and I in turn have also been training my peerage for this very moment." Sona continued, gaining more confidence as she went on. "Even though tonight was a set back, we still performed well. Tsubaki and her group were able to push back the threat of an Excalibur Blade forged from three Fragments, while Am-chan proved he's able to take on a Cadre class Fallen Angel. I believe we're still capable of handling this threat and deserve a second chance."

"You've been awfully quiet since you got back." Serafall noted, turning to Ambrose and giving him a scrutinizing look. "What do you think?"

"Actually, I agree with you, Levi-tan, on this one." Ambrose replied with some reluctance. "The devils should leave Kuoh."

"Am-chan..." Sona complained, giving him an astonished look.

Serafall had to admit, she was a bit surprised as well.

"Kokabiel is only here for once purpose, to restart the Great Celestial War." Ambrose reminded the both of them. "If all the devils evacuate Kuoh then there will be no more targets for him to attack. By abandoning the city, we'll deny him his chance to restart another war between the factions."

"Given everything that's happened tonight, it seems as if another war is inevitable." Serafall sadly pointed out.

"Maybe, maybe not." Ambrose thoughtfully replied as he began to explain. "Even with the proof we have, accusing the Fallen Angels of trying to start this war won't do us any good. Azazel will likely have an alibi prepared, and proving his excuse is a lie will just get us the very war we've been trying to avoid. Instead, I believe we should take this evidence and the implications of the Grigori's actions to Heaven. If we can get the Angels on our side then there will be no war."

"What makes you so sure?" Serafall asked, wondering how he was able to leap to that conclusion.

"Remember, it was the Devils who warned Heaven that the Excalibur Fragments were going to be stolen." Ambrose reminded her. "When our information turned out to be correct, the Maōs graciously gave permission for two exorcists, armed with Holy Swords, to enter Kuoh in order to retrieve their stolen blades. We even provided the exorcists to the location where we believed the Fragments were hidden. Although we didn't work along side of them, we agreed to help in order to ensure the Fragments remained out of the hands of the Fallen Angels. We've even searched for the exorcists once we realized they were missing. That's a lot of good will the Devils have earned in regards to this matter."

"I say we continue cooperating with Heaven; reminding them of all the help we gave them and telling them how we regret we couldn't do more." Ambrose continued to explain. "If we sympathize with the Angels in regards to the theft of their Excalibur Fragments and on the loss of their two exorcists then they'll want to get answers from the Fallen Angels as well. The last thing Azazel wants are the other two Factions uniting against his race. We won't get a peace treaty out of it, but we'll be able to keep the peace."

"That might work." Serafall thoughtfully replied, as the stress on her face subsided a little. Quite honestly, she was a bit impressed he was able to come up with the idea. "I need to inform the Maōs about what happened. I want you two to be there while I brief Maō Lucifer in case he has any additional questions." She finished, gazing at Ambrose in order to gauge his reaction.

She knew how difficult this would be for him.

Ambrose didn't verbally replied, but simply nodded his head in acceptance.

"Would you mind altering the wards so I can establish a long distance communication line?" Serafall requested as they entered his lab.

"Sure." Ambrose simply replied before adding. "Should I see if I can summon the exorcists with my stone? Just in case..."

"Go ahead." Serafall agreed as she silently watched him approach the large green stone.

"Xenovia Quarta." Ambrose called out, though there was no reaction. "Irinia Shidou."

Nothing.

Although Serafall didn't wish any harm to befall the two exorcist who had generously gave them the opportunity to destroy two Excalibur Fragments, there was part of her that wished they had died so that they might get some answers.

"Well, they're still alive." Ambrose uncomfortably said. "Though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."

No one quite knew what to say to that, and they shared an uncomfortable silence.

"Right." Serafall resolutely spoke up, steeling herself for the next task. "I'm contacting Maō Lucifer now."

Holding her hands out in front of her, Serafall cast a magical communication circle that spun around as it honed in on the receiving end. All too soon, the call was connected and the life sized transparent image of Maō Lucifer rose from the glowing ring.

"Maō Leviathan." Sirzechs greeted as his gaze fell to the other occupants of the room. "Lady Sona, Son..."

Ambrose couldn't hide the annoyed look on his face.

Unwilling to let their personal issues affect this important meeting, Serafall began informing Sirzechs of all that happened. "We have a situation..."

Serafall didn't withhold any information from Sirzechs, despite the fact she was reluctant to believe Azazel was personally involved with Kokabiel's plans. She even had Ambrose show Maō Lucifer the frozen severed hand of Azazel. Unsurprisingly, Sirzechs shared her skepticism on Azazel's involvement.

"This is troubling news... We'll have to arrange a summit between the three factions in order to avoid another war." Sirzechs commented with a frown before addressing her. "I'll need your help to coordinate everything, Sera-chan."

"I've already planned to return to the Underworld. I've also ordered an evacuation, all the devils in Kuoh will be returning to the Underworld with me." Serafall informed her counterpart.

"While that's disappointing, it's probably for the best." Sirzechs replied, saddened they would be abandoning the city.

"I won't be going to the Underworld." Ambrose announced, surprising the entire group.

"What?" Sona asked in surprise. "What do you mean, you're not going? You said that you supported Onee-sama's plan to retreat to the Underworld."

"And it is a good plan. Kokabiel's plan to kill any of the devils becomes impossible without any targets in Kuoh." Ambrose explained, defending his position. "But I can't go to the Underworld, I've got my own problems to fix in Europe."

"Son, please be reasonable," Sirzechs spoke up, giving him and imploring look. "It's not safe in the human realm anymore. Besides, we have a lot to talk about and I'm sure you have many questions."

"Talk?" Ambrose hissed, as his ire began to show. "Now you want to talk? If I wanted to talk to you then I'd put an advertisement in the personals section of the newspaper so everyone could read it. Or maybe you can read next week's headline, 'Disgraced Former Alchemist and Son of Lucifer Loses Business, Goes Bankrupt'."

"What are you talking about?" Sirzechs asked in confusion.

"Thanks to your newspaper stunt, everyone now knows I'm a devil." Ambrose heatedly replied. "My magical circle, Rosicrucianism, is suing me for fraud and tax evasion they might even go further and press criminal charges against me. My business has been forcibly closed and my business accounts are now frozen. No one will take my calls, even my lawyer refused to take the case and quit on me."

"I had no idea..." Sirzechs replied, looking genuinely remorseful. "I never imagined..."

"Never imaged what?" Ambrose sharply interrupted. "That making an announcement like that would have an impact on my life? I deserved to know before anyone else. Hell, you should have come to me the moment you first suspected that I might be your son. But you didn't consider how this would affect me. You only wanted back what you had lost."

"I wanted my son back." Sirzechs clarified. "I admit that I was a bit overzealous, but you can't blame me for being excited at the news that you're alive."

"Look, I'm sorry you lost your son, and I understand you're happy that he's not dead" Ambrose replied, trying to sound reasonable despite his anger. "But you have to understand that I'm not that person; I'm not Millicas the son of Maō Lucifer, I am Ambrose. I don't know you, I have no memory of you or your family; my entire life began ten years ago. And while ten years may seem like nothing to you, for me it is a lifetime's worth of hard work and dedication so I could be the man I am today."

"You're wrong." Sirzechs suddenly interrupted. "The decade I've spent without you has felt like an eternity to me. And I want you to know that I think what you've done with your life is very impressive. Both your mother and I are very proud of the young man you've become. I'm sorry to hear this news has caused trouble for you; unfortunately, there's not much I can do to help you."

"I'm not asking for your help. I understand it's a matter of Gremory honor that I rejoin their Clan, so I never expected any help from anyone from your family. I'm simply informing you the reasons why I won't be going to the Underworld." Ambrose explained to the Maō. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hearing to prepare for, and maybe I can salvage something from what remains of my life."

Having said his piece, Serafall watched as he spun on his heels and abruptly left the room. She glanced over at Sona who was giving her a silent plea to follow him.

Serafall gave her sister a consenting nod, and watched as she hastily chased after her fiance.

" _Poor Am-chan."_ She couldn't help but think. _"You've offered the Devil's so much, but we selfishly take and take and take. It's not right..."_

"Sera-chan." Sirzechs spoke up, breaking her from her thoughts. "I need you to talk to him. Try to convince him to return to the Underworld."

Turning back to the projection of Maō Lucifer, Serafall gave him a bright and cheery smile as she answered. "No."

"What?" Sirzechs replied, visibly stunned by her refusal.

"I said No." She cheerfully repeated. "Am-chan has the right to stay behind and defend what he's built."

"Sera-chan, you know how dangerous things are about to become..." Sirzechs implored.

"Dangerous?" Serafall rhetorically asked. "He took out one of Azazel's eyes and cut off his hand. Am-chan can take care of himself."

"That's exactly why he needs to come home." Sirzechs replied, frustration lacing his tone. "He doesn't fully understand the situation."

"He understands the situation better than any of us." Serafall quickly retorted.

"If that were true then he wouldn't have wounded Azazel." Sirzechs pointed out. "My son's actions will probably result in another war."

"Don't try to pin this on him, this isn't Am-chan's fault!" Serafall frustratingly replied to the Maō. "Azazel trespassed into a territory under our jurisdiction without our permission. Not only is this in violation of the armistice agreement, but he deliberately intruded during a crisis that his faction started. He then went on and crippled our ability to track magical signatures, which has prevented us from finding the Excalibur Fragments and Heaven's lost exorcists. If a war is started then the fault lies with Azazel! Whatever damage was done to him tonight was due to his own arrogance!"

"I'm not saying Azazel doesn't have a lot to answer for, but his actions just don't make any sense." Sirzechs calmly answered, hoping his tone would sooth his counterpart. "Since we rose to power, Azazel's been working closely with us and Heaven in order to create a true peace between the three factions. During the civil war, he gave us supplies and information that was crucial to our victory. Do you honestly believe he would throw all that away to restart a war that he, personally, called and end to?"

"As you pointed out, he aided us when we fought against the Old Satan Faction; he's already helped one rebellion take over the Devil Nation, who's to say he won't do so again." Serafall firmly answered. "It's bad enough that his presence compromised the our entire mission; without him we could have concentrated our forces to where they were needed most. But this information about raising Vali Lucifer, and recklessly bringing the White and Red Dragon Emperors together here in Kuoh is concerning. Azazel has a lot to answer for, but thankfully Am-chan had a good idea on how to avoid another war."

"How?" Sirzechs asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We make an appeal to Heaven. We remind them of everything we've done to help them and tell them we're sorry we couldn't do more." Serafall summed up. "If we sympathize with the Angels and get them on our side, then Azazel will have to capitulate or risk being alienated by the other two factions."

Sirzechs was silent and thoughtful as he considered the move. "The idea has merit, but I'd still feel better if my son returned to the Underworld with you until this issue has been resolved."

"No, I refuse." Serafall once again denied him.

Sirzechs let out a frustrated sigh. "I know we're not suppose to get involved with the affairs of the other clans but if you could just..."

"Sirzechs-chan, do you remember why we started the civil war?" Serafall interrupted him, purposefully intending to catching him off guard.

Sirzechs paused for a moment, surprised by the unexpected question. "We had a choice; to fight a war against our own people in order to change our society for the better or continue fighting an endless war against Heaven."

"It was more than that. We wanted to create a better Underworld; one where the next generation didn't have to suffer through the same hardships we did." Serafall reminded him. "We wanted to create a Devil Nation where one's status and rank wasn't determined by what family you were born into, but by what you could do with your own talents. That's why we set up the peerage system."

"What does this have to do with my son?" Sirzechs asked, wondering why she was bringing up the past.

"I didn't fight in a civil war just so you could decide what's best for your son and undo everything Am-chan's accomplished." Serafall firmly stated. "He's an extraordinary talented young man who's kind, generous, and brilliant. He has the right to choose what to do with his life. Look at what your son's accomplished for the entire Devil Nation in the span of a month. He saved both of our sisters from being framed for murder of two **[Sacred Gear]** wielders. He discovered the existence of the Khaos Brigade, who were plotting a coup d'état. He created a cure to our infertility, and then goes on to save Rias from an unwanted engagement despite the fact that he hates her."

Serafall then marched to a nearby table, picked up the crystal on it and presented it to the Maō. "Look at this. He transmuted an Agares Crystal after examining Sona's pieces. Not even Akuja-chan can do that."

Sirzechs' eyes widened as he focused all of his attention on the crystal. "Does it meet our quality standards?"

"Yes, but what good is it when he leave us because both you and Rias are constantly trying to control his life?" Serafall shouted back, tossing the stone aside as if it were worthless. "I was there at the Sitri house when you said that it was his choice, remember? If you go back on your word, if you continue to force him to choose the path that you desire, then we might as well return things to the way they were before when Lucifer took what he wanted at the expense of everyone else."

Sirzechs visibly recoiled at her admonishment.

"All of the changes we've made to improve our race means nothing if we can't hold true to those values within our own families. Who in their right mind would negotiate with us in the future if we take advantage of our own kind? Am-chan's been nothing but helpful to us, and your actions have nearly cost him everything." Serafall determinately said, leaving no room for argument. "If you ignore this problem, if you fail to act then you'll lose him, we'll lose him forever. And the terrible truth is that we need him far more than he needs us."

"Sera-chan, you know I don't want him to leave us but I can't help him, my hands are tied." Sirzechs reminded her. "You were the one who chastised me for helping Rias, I can't do the same for Ambrose."

"That's completely different, and you should know better." Serafall quickly corrected him. "It's your actions and position as a Maō that's threatening to destroy everything Am-chan has built. You made this problem. On the other hand, you always use your position to solve problems that Rias either created or should have been able to solve on her own. The whole reason she's in trouble to begin with is because her actions are beneath someone of her position. You've coddled her too much and she doesn't appear to be able to handle her responsibilities as **[King]**. Which reminds me, there's something you should know about Rias..."

Sirzechs nearly groaned. "What's she done now?"

"Her **[Knight]** has gone stray." Serafall simply stated.

"Kiba?" Sirzechs asked in disbelief, as if he were trying to wrap his mind around what she said. "Kiba went stray?"

"During their initial meeting between the exorcists and your sister's peerage, Kiba challenged them to a duel as soon as he discovered the Excalibur Fragments." Serafall explained to the Maō. "Rias sanctioned their fight under the guise of an 'unofficial sparing match'. Thankfully, Kiba lost and no one was seriously injured. However, he soon abandoned Rias after the fight, claiming he would destroy every Excalibur Fragment that crossed his path."

"What did Rias do?" Sirzechs worriedly asked.

"Nothing. She refused to either capture or reason with her **[Knight]**." Serafall pragmatically replied. "In an effort to bring Kiba back to the peerage, Koneko and the Red Dragon Emperor went rogue when they realized that Rias wasn't going to do anything. In an effort to prevent Kiba from attacking the exorcists and to ensure that Koneko and the Red Dragon Emperor didn't further complicate matters, we included all three of them in tonight's mission and paired them with a few members of Sona's peerage. Once again, Kiba abandoned his fellow peerage members and Tsubaki's group in order to pursue his own desires."

"Is that all?" Sirzechs dismally asked, disappointed in his sisters behavior and the situation in general.

"Not only are her servants abandoning her, but she doesn't appear to be keeping an eye on her peerage as well." Serafall solemnly added. "Azazel managed to pose as a potential client for a devil's contract. He tricked the Red Dragon Emperor into revealing everything he knew about our activities. As **[King]** , it's Rias's responsibility to train and oversee her newly transformed servants to ensure they're capable of handling their duties. I haven't seen Rias provide him with any sort of training, in fact, the only other contract the Red Dragon Emperor has completed was when Am-chan took him out and helped him."

"I'll be sure to have a word with her when she returns to the Underworld." Sirzechs informed Serafall, sounding quite upset with his sister.

"It's too late for that." Serafall somberly replied. "Rias's actions are her own and she needs to take responsibility for them. Will you do the same, Sirzechs-chan? Will you take responsibility for the mistakes you've made with your son?"

Sirzechs grew quiet and reflective for a moment before he answered. "I'll see what I can dig up. I don't have much influence in Rosicrucianism, but I can ask my **[Bishop]** , who heads the Golden Dawn, to look into this."

"I'll inform you of any further developments." Serafall curtly said, bringing the meeting to an end.

The communication line closed, and Serafall took a moment to consider everything that was said.

" _Honestly, I can't believe Sirzechs-chan to try to blame all this on Am-chan, just so he can try and guilt him into returning into the Underworld. I understand he wants his son back, but if it's going to happen then it hast to be on Am-chan's terms. Everyone keep trying to push him into doing what they want, even Sona."_ She privately admitted, recognizing that her sister's need to be in control was her biggest flaw. _"But no one is asking what Am-chan wants. They're just throwing more and more problems at him, when all he's trying to do is provide solutions. But what does Am-chan want?"_

Honestly, Serafall didn't know what he wanted beyond 'saving the future' and ensuring his business remained intact so that Oasis would exist. One thing Serafall realized was that Ambrose needed more. _"He needs more answers and support than Sona can provide, he can't rely on them forever. But he's not a **[King]** and has no authority to implement the kind of changes needed to bring a peace between the are so many secrets the Maōs have that he needs to know if he wants his plans to come to fruition;he doesn't even know why Sirzechs-chan and I don't believe Azazel is a threat. But he doesn't have the political power to know these secrets nor withstand the pressure of what he's trying to face. His biggest weakness is his lack of authority, which he can't get without years of hard work unless….he has the sponsorship of someone who has real power to move things politically."_

Serafall's thoughts abruptly halted, as she realized the implications if she followed through with her idea. What she was about to do was not only illegal, but revealing secrets that were known only to the Maōs would be seen as treason. If the other Maōs found out then she would be would be lucky if they only banished her.

" _But this isn't the first time I've risked everything for my people."_ Serafall privately reasoned. _"In the end, both Am-chan and I want the same thing, a better future. If I'm going to help him, then I'll have to risk it all."_

Resolving herself for what she was about to do, Serafall exited the lab in order to find Ambrose. Surprisingly, she found him along with Sona in the next room having a private discussion. Stealthily, Serafall crept up next to the entrance in order to overhear them. Though they didn't raise their voices, she could tell they were having a small argument.

"Am-chan, I'm so sorry about Rias." Sona desperately spoke. "I had promised her years ago that I would help end her engagement, and I truly believed she'd be able to help us against Kokabiel. But you were right, she's just not capable and I shouldn't have put so much faith in her."

"While I'm glad to hear you say that, I'm still not going to the Underworld." Ambrose calmly replied.

"You said so yourself, Kokabiel can't do anything so long as the Devils evacuate. By staying in Kuoh you're only inflaming the situation." Sona imploringly pointed out.

"I told you, I'm not staying in Kuoh." Ambrose said, sounding quite put out. "My court date is in a few days and I have a lot of work to do. Right now I can't even find a lawyer, and even if I do find one I'm still going to lose."

"So why appear in court at all?" Sona fretfully asked, "Why give them the satisfaction of seeing your face when they take everything you've worked so hard for?"

"Because I can't let them have everything that's in that valley." Ambrose frustratingly replied. "Can you imagine what would happen if my time machine fell into the wrong hands? That's not even mentioning the host of other things I have hidden on that property, such as the advanced ward schematics that I made or the seed vault which has plants that I genetically created. They may take the land away from me, but I'll never let them take everything I created."

" _Poor Am-chan."_ Serafall sadly thought.

"Am-chan..." Sona remorsefully responded, her words completely failing her. "You'll come back to me, won't you? Once it's done, you'll return to the Underworld?"

"Yes." Ambrose replied before letting out a depressed sigh. "It isn't as if I have anywhere else to go."

Serafall decided now would be the best time to interrupt their private discussion before things took a turn for the worse. _"Sona,_ _I understand your fears, but you need to have more faith in him_ _."_

"So-tan." Serafall called out as she calmly walked into the room, gaining her sister's attention. "Would you go check on your peerage and make sure they have everything they need for the night? I need to have a private talk with Am-chan."

Surprised by the sudden interruption, Sona looked back and forth at the pair before reluctantly complying. "Of course, Onee-sama."

Sparing her fiance one last look, Sona contritely left the two alone.

"Am-chan." Serafall softly said, reaching out and taking his hand. "Would you please come with me? There's a few things we need to talk about."

Ambrose replied with a nod, and she lead him by the hand to his bedroom. It was dark, the street lights outside barely lit the room, so she turned on a single table lamp which barely illuminated the room.

Facing each other in the dim light, Ambrose broke the silence. "Is this the part where you yell at me?"

Surprised by his question, Serafall comfortingly stroked the back of his hand. "I'm not going to yell at you. What happened tonight wasn't your fault. In fact, you performed better than I thought possible."

"It's my responsibility. I trained for this moment for centuries." Ambrose bitterly said in self reproach. "All that work, and I blew it due to a case of mistaken identity."

"It wasn't your fault that Azazel was in Kuoh, you shouldn't blame yourself for other people's mistakes." Serafall reassuringly told him. "You know, I wouldn't blame you if you did stay behind to deal with Kokabiel. In fact, I'd offer to stay and help if you were planning on it."

"I'm tempted to stay behind to get a few answers from Valper, I believe he might have some useful information that would help me with my legal problems. However, killing Kokabiel won't do us any good, in fact he's more useful alive." Ambrose replied with a frown. "If Azazel wants to avoid the Devils and the Angels from aligning against him, he'll have to give Kokabiel up. Having a common enemy will be good for the three factions, and right now the Khaos Brigade is too much of an unknown to fill this role. If Azazel offers to help, you might want to consider taking it if only so the three groups can begin cooperating for future battles."

" _Even now he's still taking on burdens that are best left to the leadership."_ Serafall thought, before she interrupted him.

"Am-chan. I know you've been preparing for this for a long time but you need to relax. This isn't the first time the factions have met to discuss a skirmish." She softly said to him.

"Even ones involving the Grigori leadership?" Ambrose asked with a grin.

"No, that's a first." Serafall replied with some amusement before she continued to try to reassure him. "Am-chan, it's important for you to remember that you're not doing this alone anymore. You have me now, and the full support my position carries. That being said, there's a few things you need to know."

"Go on." Ambrose said, giving her his full attention.

"The beginning of the Devil Civil War was a difficult time for the Anti-Satan faction. Although we knew how to fight, we had to learn how to lead. There weren't many of us at first and the Evil Pieces project was just an idea at that point. It was difficult to fund the research during the civil war, we first had to rally the support of the of the remaining Pillars so they'd begin to donate to our cause. We also needed to recruit talented individuals, people who would later go on to become devils and join our cause. The problem was that no one would give us any real support unless we scored a few major victories, we needed to show the people that we could win. It was in this difficult time that Heaven and the Grigori reached out to us. The other two factions saw that we could provide a more moderate government, a group who could end the aggression of the devil race and lead us into a more peaceful age."

"They offered to help you, didn't they?" Ambrose observed, following along.

"Heaven passed along the identity of several **[Sacred Gear]** wielders and descendants of heroes, though we never actually used that information until much later." Serafall clarified.

"You do know that the **[Sacred Gears]** are useless against Heaven, right?" Ambrose asked, shocking Serafall.

"I don't know how you figured that out, but I shouldn't be surprised." She playfully said to him, before turning serious. "Rizevim Lucifer has an ability that can nullify **[Sacred Gears]**. Although he never fought on either side during the Civil War, we still decided not to recruit any **[Sacred Gear]** wielders into our own peerages just as a precaution. You should be very careful if you ever find yourself facing him."

"Then why encourage other devils to recruit **[Sacred Gear]** wielders?" Ambrose curiously asked.

"It's simply one less weapon that can be used to attack us." Serafall answered. "Besides, we have more enemies than just heaven. As you've learned, the traditionalist of the original Maōs still have some power within our society."

"And what about the Grigori?" Ambrose asked, "Do you consider them a threat, or did they offer something during the civil war which makes you doubt Azazel's involvement with this Kokabiel business?"

"The Grigori offered us much, much more than Heaven." Serafall uncomfortably answered. "The last Great Celestial war that killed the Biblical God and the original Lucifer had just ended, and the Fallen Angels still had valuable data on the Devil Nation. They gave us targets, vulnerabilities, hidden supply routes and caches. Though we never had any of the other factions fighting on our behalf, the information the Grigori provided was crucial to a few early victories which gained us the support we needed for the **[Evil Pieces]** project. It was only after the completion of the **[Evil Pieces]** project that we had the army we needed to win the Civil War."

"I imagine there would be an uproar if the public ever found out." Ambrose commented with a frown. "They'd accuse you of being a puppet government."

"The four of us would probably be executed." Serafall grimly told him. "What I just said was beyond classified; a secret that only us four Maōs know."

"So why are you telling me this?" Ambrose worriedly asked.

"Because you need to know why Sirzechs and I still have our doubts about Azazel's level of involvement." Serafall explained. "We, the leaders of the Three Factions, have been secretly working towards a peace treaty for quite sometime now, but as powerful as we are we can't force a peace on people who don't want it. For over a century we've been putting out small political fires caused by the skirmishes from our citizens. We've worked well together behind the scenes, at least for awhile, but when you were kidnapped the relations between the factions soured considerably."

Serafall let out a sigh before wistfully continuing. "To be honest, I don't know whether or not Azazel is involved with Kokabiel's plot to start a new war, but I'll admit his recent actions are troubling. What is clear to me is that you need more help than Sona can provide. I'll arrange a legal defense for you, the best in the Devil Nation. If you need a new plot of land to rebuild Oasis, I'll appropriate it for you. I'm prepared to reveal all the secrets of the Maōs in order to help you out, though I'll be breaking the law by doing so. I don't want that terrible future to become a reality, so I'm willing to provide you with whatever you need Am-chan. You have my full support."

"Levi-tan..." Ambrose emotionally whispered.

"We both are responsible for the lives of millions," Serafall softly whispered, looking deep into his eyes. "It's why I know you won't abuse the trust I'm placing with you."

"I don't know what to say." Ambrose said, looking both relieved and touched at the same time. "The only thing that comes to mind is, 'Thank you Levi-tan.' Thank you so much."

Serafall knew that by giving Ambrose access to resources and secrets that he had no right to made her the worst sort of hypocrite, especially after the lecture she just gave Sirzechs regarding the preferential treatment he gave to his sister. Yet despite the crimes and the hypocrisy, she knew this had to be done.

The terrible future that laid ahead was destined to turn her world into a desolate ruin. Ambrose knew the dangers they faced, far better than anyone. He spent over a century preparing himself to face this threat. If they had any hope in changing their terrible destiny, Serafall knew that he would be the one to save them. _"I believe in you, Am-chan."_

The two continued to hold each other in the dimly lit room, content in finding the whatever small bit of comfort they could in this difficult time. Rain began to softly pelt against the window, but to Serafall the most soothing sound she heard was Ambrose's heartbeat.

"Am-chan..." Serafall spoke up after awhile, breaking the silence. "Why haven't you called me Onee-san all day?"

Leaning back while still in his arms, she watched as his cheeks turned rosy.

"Well, you never seemed to like it when I called you that." Ambrose uncomfortably answered.

"That never stopped you before." Serafall pointed out, wanting to know the truth.

"Although I can speak and understand any language, idioms don't often translate well." Ambrose explained with some embarrassment, "I recently learned that in Japan Onii-chan and Onee-san can be a term of endearment between to lovers."

" _So, you finally figured that out."_ Serafall thought with some amusement, before frowning as she tried to figure out her feelings for him.

As a Maō, she often was troubled by suitors who were only interested in what she could provide them, and was loathe to take advantage of Am-chan by doing the same. _"He's never once asked me for anything, except that I try to get to know him before judging him. And while he's a boon for the Devil Nation, it doesn't explain the feelings I have for him. Do I want him or what he can provide to the Devil Nation?"_

Ultimately, Serafall decided it wasn't an issue worth considering. She had already swore to provide him with all the resources he would need, and she was certain he would reciprocate in kind, especially when she considered his generous nature. Setting that matter aside, she began to focus on how she felt about him and the time they spent with one another.

" _When we first met I was determined to hate him, but when we danced together I found myself having such a good time. He got me a complete Magical Milky Girl collection, simply because he knew I would like it and asked for nothing in return. He then sat down with me to watch my favorite show, even though he's never seen an anime in his life. He never teased me because of my hobby, and we even made Magical Milky Girl's Shining Spiral Attack a real thing. During the whole process of creating a new spell, he never once questioned my intelligence."_ Serafall thought, though she often encouraged that idea so people would underestimate her.

" _It was really nice spending that all that time together, getting to know one another."_ She recalled, as she realized she understood what kind of person he is. _"He's kind, charitable, and dependable but his patience is being worn thin due to the actions of Sirzechs and the Gremory Clan. He takes on so many problems, and people keep piling on more by trying to force him to do what they want. Even Sona nearly pushed him away due to her need to control everything, despite the fact he tries so hard to please her._ _He constantly puts his own needs aside and helps others, but no one is ever there to return the favor when he needs it most._ " Serafall thought, frowning at the unfairness of it all. _"Well, not anymore. He has me now… I want to help him take care of all these problems so we can to spend more time with each other. I want us to move past this threat so that he, Sona, and I can be a family…"_

It was then that she finally had her answer. _"I want him to be my Onii-chan."_

"Am-chan." Serafall shyly spoke up, resolving to tell him how she felt despite her nervousness. "Would that be so bad; you and me, Onii-chan and Onee-san? The two of us... becoming lovers?"

"What?" Ambrose asked in surprise, but his tone soon turned remorseful. "Levi-tan… Serafall, you're a very special person to me, but I'm with Sona."

Serafall refused to take that as an outright rejection, and gave him a playful smile. "You're a devil, Am-chan. You can have a harem."

"I never…" Ambrose faltered for a moment as he tried to find the words. "I wouldn't even know where to begin..."

"We begin right here, right now with the two of us addressing how we feel about each other." Serafall said, pressing the palm of her hand to his heart. "You need to ask yourself how you feel about me, about us; about the three of us, you Sona and me, together as a family."

Serafall couldn't hold back a smile from the cute expression on his face as he tried to wrap his mind around what she was suggesting.

"You don't have to make a decision tonight. Get some sleep and take some time to consider what I said." She urged before she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to go talk to Sona, okay?"

"Alright." Ambrose said, giving her a pleased smile. "Goodnight, Levi-tan."

"Good night, Am-chan." Serafall smiled at him before departing.

As she left his room, Serafall couldn't help but let out an excited giggle. She hadn't planned on revealing her newly discovered feelings for him, she only planned on promising him that she'd disclose all the secrets of the Maōs.

" _When I decide to reveal secrets, I really reveal them all."_ Serafall bemusedly thought. _"That's just how awesome I am."_

Unfortunately, confessing her feelings to Ambrose left her with the unenviable task of confronting her beloved Sona. Her sister had always been mature for her age, so much so that Serafall felt it was her responsibility to ensure Sona managed to have fun whenever they were together. However, her maturity didn't necessarily mean she was emotionally mature; it was obvious that Sona was rather possessive of her new fiance. Serafall had no doubt that Sona loved Ambrose, but her sister refused to accept the fact that others would naturally gravitate towards her fiance once his powers became known.

" _This is going to be a very difficult conversation."_ Serafall thought with some trepidation as she saw her sister come up the stairs.

"Have you finished speaking with my fiance?" Sona asked while holding a pair of pajamas, getting ready for bed.

" _She probably wants to spend this last night with him before he leaves."_ Serafall regrettably realized.

"I have, but I'd like to talk to you before you turn in for the night." Serafall answered, determined to finish tonight's round of discussion. "Let's go to my room."

Serafall watched as Sona took a longing look at Ambrose's bedroom door, before dutifully following her with some reluctance.

" _So-tan responds best to logic."_ Serafall reminded herself as she lead her sister down the stairs. _"I'll just have to reason with her, explain it to her in a logical fashion. She won't accept this right away, but hopefully she'll see that it's better than the alternative. There will be other women who might wield more political power than Sona and reduce her status from wife to mistress."_

Entering her bedroom, Serafall took a moment to decide just where and how to begin; however, Sona was desperate for answers and quickly broke the silence.

"Onee-sama,"Sona spoke up. "Did you manage to convince Am-chan to return with us to the Underworld?"

"No, I didn't even attempt to stop him." Serafall simply answered, disappointing her sister. "In fact, I approve of his decisions to try to fight for what he's built. His business is important to him and as his fiance, you should support him."

Sona uncomfortably squirmed a little at that last remark.

"In fact, this is what I want to talk to you about." Serafall began on what would be a most difficult conversation.

"You don't think I'm supportive of Am-chan?" Sona asked, sounding a little defensive.

"Actually, I think you've been very supportive when you approve of the choices he makes." Serafall thoughtfully replied, "In fact, I think it's commendable you've managed to take him as far as you have. There is, however, one thing I want to know: how much further do you think you can take him?"

"What do you mean?" Sona asked with a frown.

"He wants to unite the three factions, he may even have to unite more than just our three factions if he wants to complete his ultimate goal, dealing with Ophis. You've done an excellent job with your peerage so far, but do you think that's something you two can handle alone?"

"No, of course not." Sona quickly answered. "I was hoping you'd help."

"And you also want me to help with potential suitors of his." Serafall carefully reminded her.

"Yes..." Sona uncomfortably admitted. "Was that so wrong? Am I asking too much of you Onee-sama?"

Serafall took a deep breath before she answered. "I've asked Ambrose to consider adding me to his harem."

Sona stood stunned, starring at Serafall with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"You..." Sona replied, struggling to find the right words before raising her voice. "You What?!"

"I know this isn't what you had in mind when you asked me to help, but I think this will work out best for us all." Serafall calmly replied, hoping her tone would help sooth her sister.

"Why?" Sona pleaded, looking quite distressed "Why are you doing this?"

"Because Am-chan is a very special person to me and I've come to care about him." Serafall sincerely answered, hoping to make her understand. "As an heiress to the Sitri Clan, you always knew that being in a harem was very likely. Did you really believe that you could keep him all to yourself, knowing who he is and what he can do? What are you going to do when Azazel, or someone else wants to arrange a marriage with him in order to build a closer alliance? Do you think you could retain your status as a wife in such a case, or would you be demoted to a mistress?"

"I was hoping you'd help, Onee-sama..." Sona muttered, looking quite sullen and hurt.

Serafall shakes her head. "As a Maō, you know I'm restricted on how much I can interfere in such matters but as his wife I could provide more aid."

"So, you not only want to insert yourself into our relationship, but you want to become the Alpha Wife as well?" Sona heatedly asked.

"Managing a harem is different from being a **[King]**." Serafall patiently pointed out. "Do you think you could successfully govern a group of powerful women, or successfully keep the sycophants away?"

"You make it sound as if you have so much more experience." Sona bitterly stated. "You'll remember than neither of us were raised with a large family."

"It isn't about experience, it's about ability." Serafall replied with a touch of annoyance. "An alpha wife has to manage a harem with her own authority, not the perceived power that comes with being closest to their husband. She also has to relay the husband's wishes to the other wives, and you've already been caught trying to deceive him for your own purposes."

"That was just the one time, so I could fulfill my promise to Rias." Sona quickly said in her own defense.

"If you want to start a family with Am-chan, then his needs take priority over other's from outside of the family." Serafall reminded her. "You have to set aside your own personal ambitions for the good of the family, which is what being in a harem is all about."

"I'm trying, Onee-sama. I really am." Sona desperately said. "I've already promised I wouldn't do it again."

"Then here's your chance to prove it." Serafall said with a bright smile. "Don't try to influence Am-chan's decision on this matter. Let this be his choice."

Serafall watched as her sister huffed in annoyance and defiantly crossed her arms. "So-tan, you should take the same advise I gave to Am-chan; take some time to consider it. This is a difficult path and you already know that you two can't do alone. Remember, harem is a covenant, a commitment towards a goal that the entire group works towards."

Sona turned to look at her, as if she were finally beginning to understand.

"And it's about kinky sex." Serafall teased, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Honestly, Onee-sama." Sona replied with a blush and a faint smile. "Only you could take this serious matter and turn it into a joke."

"What joke?" Serafall ask with a naughty smile. "I want my So-tan and my Onii-chan at the same time."

Sona sputtered in embarrassment for a bit, before grabbing a nearby pillow and tossing it playfully at her. Serafall laughed in delight, not only had she successfully conveyed her feelings and reasons, but she always counted it as a victory when she made her beloved So-tan smile.

* * *

As the sunlight filtered through the bedroom windows, Sona stirred and roused herself from her bed. Glancing at her side, she disappointingly realized Ambrose was not next to her. Deducing that her fiance was already up and getting ready for the day, Sona decided to follow suit and began her morning ablutions.

After last night's talk with her sister, Sona was unwilling to spend the night alone. There were no words spoken between the two after she entered their bedroom, none were needed. They both knew this would be their last night together for the foreseeable future and had silently agreed to spend these last few moments as intimately as possible.

While Sona still had her misgivings about Serafall's attempt to insert herself into their relationship, she did honor her sister's request not to bring up the harem topic.

" _The last thing I want to do is put any further strain on our relationship, especially since I'll be going to the Underworld without him."_ Sona thought as she continued her shower.

Truthfully, Sona had mixed feelings about Serafall's suggestion. She could privately admit to herself that it would provide a number of benefits for their cause, as well as a considerable amount of protection from other women. While Sona loathed the thought of having to share him with anyone, what really irked Sona the most was how her sister was trying to muscle in without her consent. It was an unusually insensitive move from her Onee-sama.

" _Though, perhaps that was the point."_ Sona privately reasoned with a frown. _"Am-chan will cause a political uproar once the **[Master Key]** is publicly known. Once that happens everyone will be lining up to either kill him or form an alliance with him."_

It was a bitter pill to swallow, realizing that their love for each other might not be enough to stave off the political pressure they would eventually have to face.

Finishing her shower, Sona dried herself off and tried to banish the troubling thoughts from her mind so she could better focus on the upcoming tasks of the day.

" _Besides, if I think too much on it then I'll be tempted to act on it. This has to be his choice."_ She reluctantly admitted to herself as she got dressed and headed downstairs.

Entering the kitchen Sona discovered her **[Queen]** , Tsubaki, was already up and helping Ambrose to prepare breakfast while they listened to the news on the radio.

 _[_ _"In today's news, residents of Kuoh were rocked last night when a meteor fell_ _and landed in_ _a local park, knocking out the power of a number of homes. Although there was significant damage to the surrounding area, power was quickly restored and thankfully no one was hurt. Back to you, Tanaka-san."_ _]_

 _[_ _"_ _In other news, local crime has drastically fallen with the appearance of Kuoh's new_ _vigilante_ _dressed as the popular anime character Magical Milky Girl_ _._ _The police wish to remind citizens that vigilantism is not tolerated, and if you see a young magical girl please call the police immediately."_ _]_

"Good morning." Sona greeted the pair, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt.

"Good morning, Sona." Ambrose replied, giving her a small smile before turning back to the salmon he was cooking for his guests.

"Good morning, Kaichō." Tsubaki greeted her with a polite smile, before returning to her breakfast preparations.

" _It seems Tsubaki remembered her promise to teach Am-chan how to make a traditional Japanese breakfast."_ Sona silently thought as she watched the pair while trying to hide a grimace from appearing on her face. _"I don't think I could accept being in a harem with any member of my peerage. Not only would it undermine my authority as **[King]** , but it would be... awkward being intimate with any of them."_

"Breakfast will be ready soon." Ambrose spoke up, breaking her from her thoughts. "Would you mind making sure everyone is ready?"

"Alright." Sona agreed, turning to head back upstairs. "I'll be right back."

Walking up the flight of stairs, Sona met her sister Serafall at the top, who had just left her private room.

"Good morning, So-tan." Serafall said, with a hesitant smile.

" _She's probably still nervous about my reaction to what she said last night."_ Sona deduced, though she decided not to bring it up. "Good morning Onee-sama. I was just going to wake you and the rest of my peerage. Breakfast will be ready soon."

"Mind if I help?" Serafall graciously offered.

"Not at all." Sona replied with a smile and they began to continue up the stairs to the guest rooms. As they headed up the stairs, Sona recalled the news broadcast of a magical girl sighting. She was also reminded that Motohama had once described something similar. "Onee-sama, have you been sneaking out night?"

"No." Serafall replied, shaking her head. "I've been cooped up here for days now. I'm actually looking forward to getting out of the house. Why do you ask?"

"Apparently there have been sightings of a magical girl vigilante stalking the streets of Kuoh." Sona answered her sister, giving her a scrutinizing look. "She apparently has the local police concerned, and they're asking citizens to report any sightings of her."

"It wasn't me." Serafall replied, shaking her head. "Though I'll admit, it sounds like fun."

"Onee-sama..." Sona said in a disapproving tone. "You know we can't interfere..."

"I know, I know." Serafall placatingly replied. "Come on, let's call your peerage for breakfast."

Breakfast was rather subdued, the melancholy of last night's failure still weighed heavily on the rest of her peerage. While the Sitri peerage could be described as disciplined and serious, the stoic atmosphere lacked the usual focused energy that they usually exuded. Each of them picked at their breakfast, eating in slow, moderate bites. Even Tsubaki, who no longer had a family willing to claim her, was still affected by the sadness radiating off of her fellow peerage members.

" _It's understandable, considering that many of them will not be able to see their families again for awhile."_ Sona morosely thought.

Serafall then stood up, gaining the attention of the entire group. "I know today is going to be difficult for you all, but please remember that this is for the safety of your families as well as yourselves. Once school is over you can go to your homes and pack a few things, but only bring items that can't be replaced." She said, pausing to look at each of them individually. "I'm going to have to ask you all to go through the day as you normally would, so as not to arouse the suspicion of anyone watching you. If you see the exorcists, or anyone suspicious, please let Sona or Am-chan know."

After a round of agreements from the young devils, Serafall continued. "Sona, I'll be busy this afternoon arranging for the train to pick us all up from the station. I'll need you to inform Rias of my decision to evacuate Kuoh."

"Rias has been stubborn lately." Sona commented, "She might not be willing to leave, especially without Kiba."

"Rias no longer has a choice in the matter." Serafall firmly stated. "Tell her that her Governorship has been revoked, and that if she has a problem with it then she can discuss it with me on the train. In fact, tell her there are a lot of things the Maōs need to discuss with her and that we look forward to hearing her answers."

"Yes, Onee-sama." Sona replied, knowing that Rias's troubles were only just beginning. _"There's no one to save you now Rias."_

With that, Serafall dismissed the group, and Ambrose along with the Sitri peerage began to make their way to school. The solemn attitude still persisted, and no one was willing to break the silence; each individual lost in their own thoughts.

Sona, however, was more worried about losing her fiance. She took his hand and hugged his arm close, knowing that she'll eventually be separated from him.

" _Perhaps in more ways than one."_ Sona thought, once again reminded that there were women who were more politically powerful than her would come along and try to force their way into their relationship. _"And possibly try to push me out."_

While Sona had no doubt that Ambrose would fight such attempts, she also knew that the greatest power in existence didn't come from magic or strength; it came from politics.

" _Politics can give a frail old man the power to move mountains. Or destroy everything someone has built, despite the fact that they have the power of the Biblical God."_ Sona mused, glancing up at her fiance. _"It's the one kind of power that he lacks, yet needs the most."_

Arriving to school early wasn't a requirement for the Student Council, but Sona felt that it set the right appearance and encouraged the other students to work harder. Today, however, was their last day at school, and so Sona felt no need to adhere to her policy of early attendance.

As the peerage separated to head to their individual classes, Sona slowed down in order to take a more sedated pace in order to quietly walk the grounds and take in the scenery; as if she were saying a final goodbye this chapter of her life. The cheery blossoms were now in full bloom, and as they walked by the large fountain in the middle of the grounds, Sona could only think. _"I_ _wish this didn't have to end._ _I can't remember ever taking the time to really appreciate this place. I only came here to study how humans run their schools. I've been so focused on my_ _responsibilities_ _that I forgot to take the time to really enjoy it."_

All too soon the warning bell rung, telling the students that they only had a few precious minutes to get to class. Sona and Ambrose reluctantly followed along, knowing that things would become rather hectic one class started.

Unfortunately, their peaceful moment was interrupted by Rias, who seemed quite aggravated.

"There you are." Rias addressed the pair with a huff of annoyance. "You two certainly took your time this morning."

"As you can see, we don't have time to talk now." Ambrose spoke up. "Whatever you want to talk about can wait till after school."

"That's exactly what I want to talk about." Rias sharply replied. "I want you both and your peerage at the Occult Research Club as soon as school ends. We have a lot to discuss, and I intend to get to the bottom of it."

"Oh don't worry." Sona responded, giving her fellow **[King]** a hard look. "You'll get all the answers you want."

Rias looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment, before adopting a rather haughty look. "Good. If you'll excuse me, I have to get to class."

As Sona watched Rias leave, she couldn't help but comment. "She's going to be difficult."

"When isn't she difficult?" Ambrose rhetorically asked as he lead her in the class room just as the final bell run, signaling that school was beginning.

* * *

Classes were even more mundane than usual. Truthfully, none of them saw the point in putting any effort in today's lessons since they would be leaving by the end of the day. The Sitri peerage didn't even bother meeting for their lunch break, choosing to spend these last few precious moments with their human friends.

Regretfully, the school day ended far to quickly, and the Sitri peerage gathered for the last time in the student council room. Despite everything, Sona didn't like the fact that she and her peerage would be abandoning their duties.

"So, we're just going to leave all this stuff for the next group?" Tomoe asked, looking around their council room.

"Pretty much." Sona uncomfortably summed up. "Once we reach the Underworld, your families will be given appropriate cover stories."

"What kind of cover stories?" Saji dejectedly asked.

"We'll make it a good one." Sona replied, trying to sound comforting. "Perhaps a foreign exchange program into an elite school that will guarantee a successful future. We'll also arrange for letters to be exchanged between your families as well as the occasional phone calls. A team will be dispatched to modify their memories so your families won't raise too many questions..."

Sona trailed off and took a moment to observe her peerage's faces, feeling the bitter taste of defeat now more than ever. _"I think failing my peerage is the biggest_ _loss._ _It was bad enough that my actions almost got my peerage listed as stray devils along with me, but now they'll have to leave their families behind simply because they chose to join my peerage. The responsibility of leadership, of being a_ _ **[King]**_ _is a heavy burden. I have to do better for them."_

Promising herself that she'll continue to work harder for the sake of her peerage, Sona continued to address the group. "The only thing that remains for us here is to inform Rias of the news. She'll most likely be reluctant to leave Kuoh without her **[Knight].** When that happens we'll have to remind her that the decision to abandon the city came from both Maō Leviathan and Lucifer. Once the situation is explained to her, you all will have two hours to pack what you need and then bring it to the train station. It's imperative that you all be there on time, because once the sun sets Kokabiel will likely begin hunting us. Any devil who is not at the train station on time will be left behind and listed as a stray, do I make myself clear?"

Seeing that her peerage understood the situation, Sona turned and lead the group through the school towards the occult research club. She wished she could give her peerage more time here, she wished she could have been a better **[King]** , a better leader to have prevented this from happening.

" _But part of being a responsible leader is recognizing the things you can't change, and accepting it."_ Sona privately thought as she walked up the stairs to the Old School Building. _"One day we'll return to Kuoh. One day Am-chan and I will make things right and create a better future for all of us."_

Sona adopted a resolved look as she knocked on the door, wanting to get this meeting over with as quickly as possible. They all had much to do before their departure, and time was of the essence. There was only one problem.

"No one's answering." Sona pointed out with a frown and knocked again.

"It was Kiba's job to greet the guests." Tsubaki pointed out. "Perhaps Hyoudou now has that responsibility."

Sona ignored Tsubaki's insult remark about Hyoudou, calling him out for failing even the most simplest of tasks, and tested the door handle instead. "It's unlocked."

Turning the handle and pushing the door wide open, Sona called out. "Rias, are you there?"

"Maybe her peerage hasn't arrived yet." Ruruko observed with a frown.

"But the lights are all on." Ambrose pointed out with a frown. "They have to be here."

"Gaspar's probably here." Tomoe spoke up. "Let's just wait inside for the rest of them."

Although Sona would much rather wait to be invited in, as decorum demanded, she also knew they were pressed for time and lead her peerage in the old school building.

There were no signs of anyone present. Rias's desk was empty, the coffee table was devoid of Koneko's snacks, and Akeno's tea set remained untouched.

"I don't like this." Ambrose muttered aloud as he looked around the room.

Suddenly, a magical pulse went through the old school building, activating wards that quickly put the structure under a magical lock-down.

"What the hell?" Saji called out as he looked outside.

The wards created a dark and muddied view of the outside world, and as Saji tried to open a window he received a nasty shock.

"Oww, that hurt." The **[Pawn]** complained.

"The door is sealed shut!" Reya shouted out from the hallway. "We're trapped."

"No, no, no, no!" Sona shook her head in denial. "This can't be happening."

A magical circle then spun into existence on Rias's desk, where a tiny recorded image of the Gremory **[King]** appeared and began to address the group.

"Hello Sona. I've decided to take your advice and deal with those who fail to recognize my authority as Governor of Kuoh, **[King]** and heiress to the Gremory Clan. By now you've realized that I've activated the siege wards around the building, making you all my prisoners." The magical recording of Rias began, though Sona only heard one thing; the warnings of her future self.

" _It's happening again, just as before…"_ Sona realized as a foreboding sense of horror engulfed her. _"My future self hid behind these very wards when the exorcists originally arrived. Instead of protecting us, it only trapped us until Kokabiel came. He massacred half my peerage, and I was barely able to escape with a few servants in order to warn the_ _Maōs. It's happening all over again, we failed to change anything..."_

Heedless of Sona's internal thoughts, the recording of Rias continued. "I've decided to hold you all in this place while I take my peerage and I search for Yuuto in order to bring him back into the fold. Once that is complete, I'll be placing you all under arrest and return you all to the Underworld. Your alliance with the exorcists have become a threat to the Devil Nation, and the Maōs must be made aware of your actions. I'm sorry it had to come to this Sona, but you brought this on yourself."

As the recording ended, and the image of Rias faded away, the Sitri peerage realized they were trapped inside the old school building. There they would helplessly wait until Kokabiel came to attack them and restart the Great Celestial War.

Filled with impotent rage, Sona screamed in frustration. "DAMN YOU RIAS!"

* * *

OMAKE

"Will you take responsibility for the mistakes you've made with your son?" Serafall asked Sirzechs, giving him a scrutinizing look.

Sirzechs grew quiet and reflective for a moment before he answered. "I'll see what I can dig up. I don't have much influence in Rosicrucianism, but I can ask my **[Bishop]** , who heads the Golden Dawn, to look into this."

"I'll inform you of any further developments." Serafall curtly said, bringing the meeting to an end.

The magical circle faded and Sirzechs sat back on his throne, reflecting on all that transpired.

" _Things are definitely becoming more complicated. Not only is another war on the horizon but things are about to become difficult within my family as well. Rias is in a lot of trouble now and my son…."_

"Husband..." Grayfia's voice called out, interrupting his thoughts.

Slowly turning his head, Sirzechs' eyes widened in fright as he gazed on the furious form of his wife.

"Did you just refuse to help our son out of the problem that you caused?" Grayfia calmly asked, though the look on her face betrayed her feelings. "Are you abandoning him, only after we just found him."

"Of… of course not, my dear." Sirzechs nervously replied. "It was only a ruse so that I could get permission to use my position to help the boy."

"Is that so?" Grayfia asked, though it was clear she didn't believe him.

"Honey, please. You have to believe me." Sirzechs pleaded. "I would never abandon my son to… Wait, no… Please no, not that. Honey Nooo!"

* * *

Joke

As the recording ended, and the image of Rias faded away, the Sitri peerage was left trapped inside the old school building where all they could do was wait for Kokabiel to come and attack them.

"GOD DAMN YOU RIAS!"

Ambrose looked at his fiance with a raised eyebrow before shrugging. "I suppose it's worth a shot…. RIAS, I DAMN THEE!"


End file.
